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| Alpi Cozie | |
|---|---|
| Name | Alpi Cozie |
| Other name | Cottian Alps |
| Country | Italy, France |
| Highest | Mont Viso |
| Elevation m | 3841 |
| Length km | 120 |
Alpi Cozie are a mountain range in the Alps straddling Piedmont, Metropolitan City of Turin, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and Hautes-Alpes regions of Italy and France. The range forms a natural frontier between the Po Valley and the Dauphiné plateaus and includes major passes linking Turin with Briançon, Nice with Susa Valley, and historic routes used since Roman times. The area played roles in the history of the Roman Empire, the House of Savoy, and the Napoleonic Wars.
The range lies between the Maritime Alps to the southwest and the Graian Alps to the northeast, bounded by the Maira and Dora Riparia valleys on the Italian side and the Durance and Guisane valleys on the French side. Principal subranges include the Monviso massif, the Ambin group, the Alpes Cottiennes occidentales, and the Alpes Cottiennes orientales. Major nearby towns and cities comprise Cuneo, Saluzzo, Susa, Oulx, Briançon, Gap, and Nice. The ridge influences transport corridors such as the Fréjus Rail Tunnel, the Mont Cenis Pass, the Col du Galibier, and roads linking Turin with Grenoble and Marseille.
Geologically the range is part of the Alpine orogeny and exhibits nappes and thrusts associated with the collision of the African Plate and the Eurasian Plate during the Cenozoic. Bedrock includes metamorphic rocks like gneiss and schist, as well as ophiolite sequences and limestone massifs with karst features similar to those in the Dolomites and Calcareous Alps. Notable structural units include the Monviso ophiolite complex, linked to studies by geologists from institutions such as the University of Turin and the CNRS. The range contains mineralizations historically exploited near Colle di Tenda and Monginevro, tying into industrial histories of Piedmont and Provence.
Prominent summits include Mont Viso (the highest), Rocciamelone, Grand Queyron, Aiguille de Scolette, and Rognosa d'Etiache. Important mountain passes are the Colle delle Finestre, Colle di Sampeyre, Colle della Maddalena, Col du Mont Cenis, Col du Galibier and the Col de l'Échelle, which connect with historic transalpine routes such as the Via Domitia and the Via Francigena. Mountain huts and bivouacs managed by the Club Alpino Italiano and the Fédération Française des Clubs Alpins et de Montagne support ascent routes to these peaks.
Climatically the range exhibits alpine climate gradients from Mediterranean-influenced lower slopes near Nice to continental conditions inland near Turin. Precipitation patterns are affected by orographic lift from the Ligurian Sea and Mediterranean Sea, producing heavy snowfall on north-facing slopes and seasonal meltwater feeding major rivers: the Dora Riparia, Po tributaries, and the Durance basin. Glacial remnants persist around high peaks such as Mont Viso though glaciers have retreated since measurements by teams from University of Milan and École Polytechnique. Reservoirs and dams like those on the Lago di Cesana and irrigation networks supply water to agricultural zones in Piedmont and hydroelectric plants managed by companies including ENEL.
Vegetation zones range from Mediterranean maquis on lower southern slopes to montane mixed forests of Fagus sylvatica and Larix decidua and alpine meadows supporting species documented by botanists from Museo Regionale di Scienze Naturali di Torino and Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle. Endemic and notable fauna include Alpine ibex, chamois, brown bear reintroduction debates linked to Gran Paradiso National Park and Mercantour National Park, as well as avifauna like golden eagle and red-billed chough. Conservation areas and Natura 2000 sites involve agencies such as Regione Piemonte and the Direction régionale de l'environnement, de l'aménagement et du logement (DREAL).
Human presence dates to Paleolithic seasonal hunting documented near Val di Susa with later Roman engineering on routes such as the Via Domitia and military infrastructure from the Roman Republic and Roman Empire. Medieval control involved the County of Savoy and the House of Savoy, with fortifications like Forte di Fenestrelle and border treaties including the Treaty of Turin (1860). The range was contested during the Napoleonic Wars and fortified in the 19th and 20th centuries with sites associated with the Alpine Wall and Maginot Line adaptations; remnants are studied by historians at the Istituto per la Storia della Resistenza e della Società Contemporanea.
Traditional economies include alpine pastoralism, forestry, and transalpine trade through markets in Cuneo and Briançon, with seasonal products like Fontina-style cheeses and mountain honey sold via cooperatives. Modern economic drivers are tourism sectors: ski resorts such as Sauze d'Oulx, Briançon Serre Chevalier, Sestriere, and trekking routes on the Haute Route and Via Alpina; alpine sports events like stages of the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France spur infrastructure. Protected-area tourism involves Parco naturale delle Alpi Marittime and cross-border initiatives with Parc national des Écrins, supported by regional agencies and international funding from the European Union.
Category:Mountain ranges of Italy Category:Mountain ranges of France