Graian Alps


The Graian Alps are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps.

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/stone, literally the Rocky Mountains

Geography

The Graian Alps are located in France, Italy, and Switzerland.
The French side of the Graian Alps is drained by the river Isère and its tributary Arc, and by the Arve. The Italian side is drained by the rivers Dora Baltea, Orco and Stura di Lanzo, tributaries of the Po.
The Graian Alps can also be divided into the following four groups:
The main peaks of the Graian Alps are:

Mont Blanc group

Namemetresfeet
Mont Blanc4,810.4515,782
Mont Maudit4,47114,669
Dôme du Goûter4,33114,210
Grandes Jorasses4,20513,797
Aiguille Verte4,12713,541
Aiguille de Bionnassay4,06613,341
Dent du Géant4,01313,166
Aiguille de Tré la Tête3,91112,832
Aiguille d'Argentière3,90212,802
Aiguille de Triolet3,87612,717
Aiguille du Midi3,84312,609
Tour Noir3,83612,586
Aiguille des Glaciers3,83412,579
Mont Dolent3,82312,543
Aiguille du Chardonnet3,82212,540
Aiguille du Dru3,75412,316
Dômes de Miage3,68812,100
Aiguille du Tour3,54011,615
Aiguille du Grépon3,50211,489
Aiguille des Charmoz3,44211,293
Aiguille du Tacul3,43811,280
Pointe d'Orny3,27410,742
Mont Favre3,25910,693
Tour Sallière3,22710,588
Pointe de Léchaud3,12710,260
Mont Buet3,10910,201
Mont Ruan3,07810,099
Roignais2,9959,826
Pic de Tenneverge2,9829,784
Aiguille du Belvédère 2,9669,731
Crammont2,7378,980
Pointe des Fours2,7198,921
Pointe du Colloney2,6928,832
Catogne2,5998,527
Mont Joly2,5278,291
Brevent2,5258,284
Pointe de Sales2,4948,183
Aiguille de Varan2,4888,163
Aiguille Croche2,4878,159
Mont Chetif2,3437,687

Central group

NamemetresfeetNamemetresfeet
Pointe de Charbonnel376012,336Grande Aiguille Rousse348211,424
Aiguille de la Grande Sassière375112,306Granta-Parey347311,395
Uia di Ciamarella367612,061Roc du Moulinet346911,382
Albaron363811,936Aiguille Pers345111,323
Pointe de Ronce361811,871Cima dell' Auille??344611,306
Levanna361911,874Pointe de la Galise334510,975
Bec de l'Invergnan360811,838Pointe de la Traversière334110,962
Tsanteleina360611,831Ormelune/Pointe d'Archeboc328310,771
Bessanèse359711,801Signal du Mont Iseran324110,634
Croce Rossa356611,703Grand Assaly317410,413
Punta d'Arnas354011,615Torre d'Ovarda307510,089
Rocciamelone353711,605Dôme de Val d'Isère30339,951
Punta Chalanson353011,582Uia di Mondrone29649,725
Grande Traversière349511,467Punta Lunella22727,454
Testa del Rutor348611,438Monte Civrari23027,553

Eastern group

NamemetresfeetNamemetresfeet
Gran Paradiso406113,324Grand Nomenon351311,444
Grivola396913,022Mont Tout Blanc343811,280
Herbétet377812,396Punta Sengie340811,182
Torre del Gran San Pietro369212,113Punta Lavina330810,854
Ciarforon366512,025Rosa dei Banchi316410,381
Roccia Viva365011,976Becca di Nona314210,309
Becca di Gay362311,887Punta Pousset30469,994
Monte Emilius355911,677Monte Colombo28489,344
Punta Tersiva351311,526Monte Marzo27509,023

Western group

NamemetresfeetNamemetresfeet
Grande Casse385512,648Pointe de l'Échelle342211,227
Mont Pourri377912,398Bellecôte341711,211
Dent Parrachée369712,129Pointes de la Gliere338611,109
Grande Motte365311,985Pointe de Méan Martin333710,949
Dôme de l'Arpont360111,808Roche Chevrière325210,669
Dôme de Chasseforêt358611,765Aiguille Rouge322710,584
Aiguille de Péclet356611,700Pointe de la Réchasse322310,575
Aiguille de Polset353811,608Petit Mont Blanc de Pralognan26858809
Pointe de la Sana343611,273Mont Jovet25638409

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.

Nature conservation

The western group contains the Vanoise National Park, established in 1972 and covering 1250 km²; 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