# Graian Alps

The Graian Alps (Latin:: Alpes Graiæ ; French: Alpes grées; Italian: Alpi Graie) are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps, and the name of an Antic Rome province.

## Etymology

The name Graie comes from the Graioceli Celtic tribe, which dwelled in the area surrounding the Mont Cenis pass and the Viù valley. Other sources claim that the name comes from the Celtic Graig meaning "rock" or "stone", literally the Rocky Mountains.
The name of the Antic Rome province comes from the local celtic god Graius.

## Geography

The Graian Alps are located in France (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), Italy (Piedmont and the Aosta Valley), and Switzerland (western Valais).
The French side of the Graian Alps is drained by the river Isère (Tarentaise valley) and its tributary Arc (Maurienne valley), and by the Arve. The Italian side is drained by the rivers Dora Riparia, Dora Baltea, Orco and Stura di Lanzo, tributaries of the Po.
The Graian Alps can also be divided into the following four groups:
* the Mont Blanc group (north of the Little St Bernard Pass), including the Beaufortain Massif
* the Central group (the watershed between the Little St Bernard Pass and the Col du Mont Cenis)
* the Western or French group,
* and the Eastern or Italian group, including the Gran Paradiso Massif.

## Peaks

The main peaks of the Graian Alps are:

### Mont Blanc group

| Name | metres | feet |
| Mont Blanc | 4,810.45 | 15,782 |
| Mont Maudit | 4,471 | 14,669 |
| Dôme du Goûter | 4,331 | 14,210 |
| Grandes Jorasses | 4,205 | 13,797 |
| Aiguille Verte | 4,127 | 13,541 |
| Aiguille de Bionnassay | 4,066 | 13,341 |
| Dent du Géant | 4,013 | 13,166 |
| Aiguille de Tré la Tête | 3,911 | 12,832 |
| Aiguille d'Argentière | 3,902 | 12,802 |
| Aiguille de Triolet | 3,876 | 12,717 |
| Aiguille du Midi | 3,843 | 12,609 |
| Tour Noir | 3,836 | 12,586 |
| Aiguille des Glaciers | 3,834 | 12,579 |
| Mont Dolent | 3,823 | 12,543 |
| Aiguille du Chardonnet | 3,822 | 12,540 |
| Aiguille du Dru | 3,754 | 12,316 |
| Dômes de Miage | 3,688 | 12,100 |
| Aiguille du Tour | 3,540 | 11,615 |
| Aiguille du Grépon | 3,502 | 11,489 |
| Aiguille des Charmoz | 3,442 | 11,293 |
| Aiguille du Tacul | 3,438 | 11,280 |
| Pointe d'Orny | 3,274 | 10,742 |
| Mont Favre | 3,259 | 10,693 |
| Tour Sallière | 3,227 | 10,588 |
| Pointe de Léchaud | 3,127 | 10,260 |
| Mont Buet | 3,109 | 10,201 |
| Mont Ruan | 3,078 | 10,099 |
| Roignais | 2,995 | 9,826 |
| Pic de Tenneverge | 2,982 | 9,784 |
| Aiguille du Belvédère (Aigs Rouges) | 2,966 | 9,731 |
| Crammont | 2,737 | 8,980 |
| Pointe des Fours | 2,719 | 8,921 |
| Pointe du Colloney | 2,692 | 8,832 |
| Catogne | 2,599 | 8,527 |
| Mont Joly | 2,527 | 8,291 |
| Brevent | 2,525 | 8,284 |
| Pointe de Sales | 2,494 | 8,183 |
| Aiguille de Varan | 2,488 | 8,163 |
| Aiguille Croche | 2,487 | 8,159 |
| Mont Chétif | 2,343 | 7,687 |

### Central group

| Name | metres | feet | Name | metres | feet |
| Pointe de Charbonnel | 3760 | 12,336 | Grande Aiguille Rousse | 3482 | 11,424 |
| Aiguille de la Grande Sassière | 3751 | 12,306 | Granta-Parey | 3473 | 11,395 |
| Uia di Ciamarella | 3676 | 12,061 | Roc du Moulinet | 3469 | 11,382 |
| Albaron | 3638 | 11,936 | Aiguille Pers | 3451 | 11,323 |
| Pointe de Ronce | 3618 | 11,871 | Pointe de la Galise | 3345 | 10,975 |
| Levanna | 3619 | 11,874 | Pointe de la Traversière | 3341 | 10,962 |
| Bec de l'Invergnan | 3608 | 11,838 | Ormelune/Pointe d'Archeboc | 3283 | 10,771 |
| Tsanteleina | 3606 | 11,831 | Signal du Mont Iseran | 3241 | 10,634 |
| Bessanèse | 3597 | 11,801 | Grand Assaly | 3174 | 10,413 |
| Croce Rossa | 3566 | 11,703 | Torre d'Ovarda | 3075 | 10,089 |
| Punta d'Arnas | 3540 | 11,615 | Dôme de Val d'Isère | 3033 | 9,951 |
| Rocciamelone | 3537 | 11,605 | Pointe de Tierce | 2973 | 9,754 |
| Punta Chalanson | 3530 | 11,582 | Uia di Mondrone | 2964 | 9,725 |
| Grande Traversière | 3495 | 11,467 | Punta Lunella | 2272 | 7,454 |
| Testa del Rutor | 3486 | 11,438 | Monte Civrari | 2302 | 7,553 |
It also includes Roche Michel at 3429 m.

### Eastern group

| Name | metres | feet | Name | metres | feet |
| Gran Paradiso | 4061 | 13,324 | Grand Nomenon | 3513 | 11,444 |
| Grivola | 3969 | 13,022 | Mont Tout Blanc | 3438 | 11,280 |
| Herbétet | 3778 | 12,396 | Punta Sengie | 3408 | 11,182 |
| Torre del Gran San Pietro | 3692 | 12,113 | Punta Lavina | 3308 | 10,854 |
| Ciarforon | 3665 | 12,025 | Rosa dei Banchi | 3164 | 10,381 |
| Roccia Viva | 3650 | 11,976 | Becca di Nona | 3142 | 10,309 |
| Becca di Gay | 3623 | 11,887 | Punta Pousset | 3046 | 9,994 |
| Monte Emilius | 3559 | 11,677 | Monte Colombo | 2848 | 9,344 |
| Punta Tersiva | 3513 | 11,526 | Monte Marzo | 2750 | 9,023 |

### Western group

| Name | metres | feet | Name | metres | feet |
| Grande Casse | 3855 | 12,648 | Pointe de l'Échelle | 3422 | 11,227 |
| Mont Pourri | 3779 | 12,398 | Bellecôte | 3417 | 11,211 |
| Dent Parrachée | 3697 | 12,129 | Pointes de la Gliere | 3386 | 11,109 |
| Grande Motte | 3653 | 11,985 | Pointe de Méan Martin | 3337 | 10,949 |
| Dôme de l'Arpont | 3601 | 11,808 | Roche Chevrière | 3252 | 10,669 |
| Dôme de Chasseforêt | 3586 | 11,765 | Aiguille Rouge | 3227 | 10,584 |
| Aiguille de Péclet | 3566 | 11,700 | Pointe de la Réchasse | 3223 | 10,575 |
| Aiguille de Polset | 3538 | 11,608 | Petit Mont Blanc de Pralognan | 2685 | 8809 |
| Pointe de la Sana | 3436 | 11,273 | Mont Jovet | 2563 | 8409 |

## Passes

The main passes of the Graian Alps are shown in the table below. The group in which the pass is located is indicated with "MB" for Mont Blanc group, "C" for Central group, "E" for Eastern group, and "W" for Western group.
| name | location | group | type | elevation (m/ft) | elevation (m/ft) |
| Col de la Brenva | Courmayeur to Chamonix | MB | snow | 4,333 | 14,217 |
| Col de Triolet | Chamonix to Courmayeur | MB | snow | 3,691 | 12,110 |
| Col d'Argentière | Chamonix to Orsières | MB | snow | 3,516 | 11,536 |
| Col de la Grande Rousse | Rhêmes Valley to Valgrisenche | C | snow | 3500 | 11,483 |
| Col de Talefre | Chamonix to Courmayeur | MB | snow | 3,484 | 11,430 |
| Col de Gebroulaz | Modane to Méribel | W | snow | 3470 | 11,385 |
| Col de Monel | Cogne to Locana | E | snow | 3428 | 11,247 |
| Col de Miage | Les Contamines to Courmayeur | MB | snow | 3,376 | 11,077 |
| Col du Géant | Chamonix to Courmayeur | MB | snow | 3,371 | 11,060 |
| Col du Grand Paradis | Ceresole Reale to Valsavarenche | E | snow | 3349 | 10,988 |
| Col du Charforon | Ceresole Reale to Valsavarenche | E | snow | 3331 | 10,929 |
| Col de Teleccio | Cogne to Locana | E | snow | 3326 | 10,913 |
| Col du Chardonnet | Chamonix to Orsières | MB | snow | 3,325 | 10,909 |
| Col de Lauzon | Cogne to the Valsavarenche | E | bridle path | 3301 | 10,831 |
| Col du Bouquetin | Bonneval-sur-Arc to Val d'Isère | C | snow | 3300 | 10,827 |
| Col de St Grat | Valgrisenche to La Thuile | C | snow | 3300 | 10,827 |
| Col du Tour | Chamonix to Orsières | MB | snow | 3,280 | 10,762 |
| Fenêtre de Saleinaz | Saleinaz Glacier to Trient Glacier | MB | snow | 3,264 | 10,709 |
| Col de l'Herbetet | Cogne to Valsavarenche | E | snow | 3257 | 10,686 |
| Col du Collerin | Bessans to Balme | C | snow | 3202 | 10,506 |
| Col du Grand Etret | Ceresole Reale to Valsavaranche | E | snow | 3158 | 10,361 |
| Col de Bassac | Rhêmes Valley to Valgrisenche | C | snow | 3153 | 10,345 |
| Col du Carro | Bonneval-sur-Arc to Ceresole Reale | C | snow | 3140 | 10,302 |
| Col d'Arbole | Cogne to Brissogne | E | snow | 3137 | 10,292 |
| Col de la Goletta | Val d'Isère to the Rhêmes Valley | C | snow | 3120 | 10,237 |
| Col de Rhêmes | Val d'Isère to the Rhêmes Valley | C | snow | 3101 | 10,174 |
| Col de la Grande Casse | Pralognan to Termignon | W | snow | 3100 | 10,171 |
| Col de Sea | Bonneval-sur-Arc to Forno Alpi Graie | C | snow | 3083 | 10,115 |
| Col de l'Autaret | Bessans to Usseglio | C | footpath | 3070 | 10,073 |
| Col de Girard | Bonneval-sur-Arc to Forno Alpi Graie | C | snow | 3044 | 9987 |
| Col Rosset | Valsavarenche to the Rhêmes Valley | C | bridle path | 3024 | 9922 |
| Col d'Arnas | Bessans to Balme | C | snow | 3014 | 9889 |
| Col de la Galise | Ceresole Reale to Val d'Isère | C | snow | 2998 | 9836 |
| Col de Sort | Valsavarenche to the Rhêmes Valley | E | bridle path | 2967 | 9735 |
| Quecees de Tignes | Val d'Isère to Termignon | W | snow | 2940 | 9646 |
| Col della Nouva | Cogne to Pont Canavese | E | bridle path | 2933 | 9623 |
| Col de Breuil | Bourg-Saint-Maurice to La Thuile | MB | snow | 2,879 | 9,446 |
| Col de Garin | Aosta to Cogne | E | footpath | 2868 | 9411 |
| Collarin d'Arnas | Balme to Usseglio | C | snow | 2850 | 9351 |
| Colle della Finestra | Rhêmes Valley to the Valgrisenche | C | footpath | 2847 | 9341 |
| Fenêtre de Champorcher | Cogne to Champorcher | E | bridle path | 2838 | 9311 |
| Col Vaudet | Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise to the Valgrisenche | C | footpath | 2836 | 9305 |
| Col de Bardoney | Cogne to Pont Canavese | E | snow | 2833 | 9295 |
| Col de Chaviere | Modane to Pralognan | W | footpath | 2806 | 9206 |
| Col de la Leisse | Tignes to Termignon | W | snow | 2780 | 9121 |
| Col de l'Iseran | Bonneval-sur-Arc to Val d'Isère | C | road | 2769 | 9085 |
| Ghicet di Sea | Balme to Forno Alpi Graie | C | footpath | 2735 | 8973 |
| Col de la Sachette | Tignes to Bourg-Saint-Maurice | W | footpath | 2729 | 8954 |
| Col du Palet | Tignes to Moûtiers or Bourg St Maurice | W | bridle path | 2658 | 8721 |
| Col du Mont | Ste Foy to the Valgrisenche | C | bridle path | 2646 | 8681 |
| Col du Nivolet | Ceresole Reale to the Valsavarenche | E | road | 2641 | 8665 |
| Colle della Crocetta | Ceresole Reale to Forno Alpi Graie | C | bridle path | 2636 | 8649 |
| Col de la Platiere | Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne to Moûtiers | W | bridle path | 2600 | 8531 |
| Col du Mont Tondu | Les Contamines to Courmayeur | MB | snow | 2,590 | 8,498 |
| Col Ferret | Courmayeur to Orsières | MB | bridle path | 2,533 | 8,311 |
| Col de la Vanoise | Pralognan to Termignon | W | bridle path | 2527 | 8291 |
| Col de la Seigne | Les Chapieux to Courmayeur | MB | bridle path | 2,512 | 8,242 |
| Col de Susanfe | Champéry to Salvan | MB | footpath | 2,500 | 8,202 |
| Col du Bonhomme | Contamines to Les Chapieux | MB | bridle path | 2,483 | 8,147 |
| Col de Sageroux | Sixt to Champéry | MB | footpath | 2,413 | 7,917 |
| Col des Encombres | Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne to Moûtiers | W | bridle path | 2337 | 7668 |
| Col d'Anterne | Sixt to Servoz | MB | bridle path | 2,263 | 7,425 |
| Col de Balme | Chamonix to the Trient Valley | MB | bridle path | 2,201 | 7,221 |
| Little St Bernard Pass | Aosta to Moûtiers | C | road | 2188 | 7179 |
| Mont Cenis | Modane to Susa | C | road | 2083 | 6827 |
| Col de la Madeleine | La Chambre to Moûtiers | W | road | 1993 | 6509 |
| Colle Checrouit | Courmayeur to the Lac de Combal | MB | bridle path | 1,960 | 6,431 |
| Col de Voza | Chamonix to Les Contamines | MB | bridle path | 1,675 | 5,496 |
| Col de la Forclaz (F) | Chamonix to Saint-Gervais | MB | bridle path | 1,556 | 5,105 |
| Col de la Forclaz (CH) | Argentière to Martigny | MB | road | 1,520 | 4,987 |

## Nature conservation

The western group contains the Vanoise National Park, established in 1972 and covering 1,250 km$^2$ (480 sq mi) the eastern group contains the Gran Paradiso National Park, the oldest Italian national park. Also on the Italian side is located the Parco Regionale del Monte Avic, a nature park of 5,747 ha established by Regione Valle d'Aosta.

## Maps

* Italian official cartography (Istituto Geografico Militare - IGM); on-line version: www.pcn.minambiente.it
* French official cartography (Institut Géographique National - IGN); on-line version: www.geoportail.fr
* Swiss official cartography (Swiss Federal Office of Topography - Swisstopo); on-line version: map.geo.admin.ch