Pennine Alps
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The Pennine Alps are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps. They are located in France (Haute-Savoie), Switzerland (Valais) and Italy (Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta). The Little St Bernard Pass and the Dora Baltea valley separate them from the Graian Alps; the Simplon Pass separates them from the Lepontine Alps; the Rhône valley separates them from the Bernese Alps; the Col de Coux and the Arly valley separate them from the French Prealps (Aravis and Chablais). The Pennine Alps contain the highest peaks of the Alps, including Mont Blanc.
The French side of the Pennine Alps is drained by the river Isère, its tributary Arly and the Arve. The Italian side is drained by the rivers Dora Baltea, Sesia and Toce, tributaries of the Po. The Swiss side is drained by the Rhône River.
The Mont Blanc Tunnel, which leads from Chamonix to Courmayeur, is an important artery for road transport. Another important road tunnel is the Great St Bernard Tunnel, under the Great St. Bernard Pass, which leads from Martigny, Switzerland to Aosta.
Peaks
The chief peaks of the Pennine Alps are:
| Name | metres | feet | Name | metres | feet | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mont Blanc | 4810 | 15,780 | Mont Blanc de Seilon | 3871 | 12,700 | |
| Dufourspitze (Monte Rosa) | 4638 | 15,217 | Aiguille du Midi | 3843 | 12'609 | |
| Nordend (Monte Rosa) | 4609 | 15,121 | Tour Noir | 3836 | 12'586 | |
| Dom (Mischabelhorner) | 4554 | 14'942 | Aiguille des Glaciers | 3834 | 12'579 | |
| Lyskamm | 4538 | 14'889 | Mont Dolent | 3823 | 12'543 | |
| Weisshorn | 4506 | 14,780 | Aiguille du Chardonnet | 3822 | 12,540 | |
| Matterhorn | 4478 | 14,693 | Cima di Jazzi | 3818 | 12'527 | |
| Taschhorn | 4498 | 14'758 | Balfrin | 3802 | 12'474 | |
| Mont Maudit | 4471 | 14'669 | Pigne d'Arolla | 3801 | 12'471 | |
| Dent Blanche | 4364 | 14,318 | Mont Velan | 3765 | 12'353 | |
| Dome du Gouter | 4331 | 14'210 | Aiguille du Dru | 3755 | 12'320 | |
| Grand Combin | 4317 | 14'164 | Tete Blanche | 3750 | 12'304 | |
| Castor | 4230 | 13'879 | L'Eveque | 3738 | 12'264 | |
| Zinalrothorn | 4223 | 13'856 | Mont Pleureur | 3706 | 12'159 | |
| Alphubel | 4207 | 13'803 | Dome de Miage | 3688 | 12'100 | |
| Grandes Jorasses | 4205 | 13'797 | Lo Besso | 3675 | 12'058 | |
| Rimpfischhorn | 4203 | 13'790 | Aiguille de la Za | 3673 | 12'051 | |
| Strahlhorn | 4191 | 13'751 | Mont Collon | 3644 | 11'956 | |
| Dent d'Hérens | 4180 | 13'715 | Diablons | 3605 | 11'828 | |
| Breithorn | 4164 | 13,661 | Aiguille de Tour | 3540 | 11'615 | |
| Aiguille Verte | 4127 | 13'541 | Mont Gele | 3517 | 11'539 | |
| Ober Gabelhorn | 4073 | 13'364 | Bec de Luseney | 3506 | 11'503 | |
| Aiguille de Bionnassay | 4066 | 13'341 | Aiguille de Grepon | 3502 | 11'489 | |
| Allalinhorn | 4034 | 13'236 | Chateau des Dames | 3489 | 11'447 | |
| Weissmies | 4031 | 13'226 | Aiguille des Charmoz | 3442 | 11'293 | |
| Aiguille du Geant | 4014 | 13'170 | Aiguille du Tacul | 3438 | 11'280 | |
| Laquinhorn | 4005 | 13'140 | Grand Tournalin | 3379 | 11'086 | |
| Rossbodenhorn | 4001 | 13'128 | Pointe de Rosa Blanche | 3348 | 10'985 | |
| Grand Cornier | 3969 | 13'022 | Mont Avril | 3341 | 10'962 | |
| Aiguille de Trelatete | 3911 | 12'832 | Grande Rochere | 3326 | 10'913 | |
| Aiguille d'Argentiere | 3907 | 12'819 | Corno Bianco | 3320 | 10'893 | |
| Ruinette | 3879 | 12'727 | Grauhaupt | 3315 | 10'876 | |
| Aiguille de Triolet | 3876 | 12'717 | Pointe d'Orny | 3274 | 10'742 | |
| Mont Favre | 3259 | 10'693 | Dent du Midi | 3260 | 10'696 | |
| Sasseneire | 3259 | 10'693 | Tagliaferro | 2964 | 9725 | |
| Grand Golliaz | 3240 | 10'630 | Riffelhorn | 2931 | 9617 | |
| Tour Sallieres | 3227 | 10'588 | Pointe Percee du Reposoir | 2752 | 9029 | |
| Pizzo Bianco | 3216 | 10'552 | Crammont | 2737 | 8980 | |
| Latelhorn | 3207 | 10'523 | Pointe des Fours | 2719 | 8921 | |
| Schwarzhorn (Augstbord) | 3204 | 10'512 | Pointe du Colloney | 2692 | 8832 | |
| Gornergrat | 3136 | 10'289 | Catogne | 2599 | 8527 | |
| Pointe de Lechaud | 3127 | 10'260 | Monte Bo | 2556 | 8386 | |
| Buet | 3109 | 10'201 | Mont Joly | 2527 | 8291 | |
| Mont Ruan | 3078 | 10'099 | Brevent | 2525 | 8284 | |
| Mont Neri | 3070 | 10'073 | Pointe de Salles | 2494 | 8183 | |
| Bella Tola | 3028 | 9935 | Aiguille de Varens | 2488 | 8163 | |
| Pointe de Tanneverge | 2982 | 9784 | Mont Chetif | 2343 | 7687 | |
| Belvedere (Aigs Rouges) | 2966 | 9731 | Mole | 1869 | 6132 | |
| Salève (highest point) | 1380 | 4528 |
Passes
The chief passes of the Pennine Alps are:
| Mountain pass | location | type | elevation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sesiajoch | Zermatt to Alagna | snow | 4424 | 14'515 |
| Col de la Brenva | Courmayeur to Chamonix | snow | 4333 | 14'217 |
| Domjoch | Randa to Saas-Fee | snow | 4286 | 14'062 |
| Lysjoch | Zermatt to Gressoney | snow | 4277 | 14'033 |
| Mischabeljoch | Zermatt to Saas-Fee | snow | 3856 | 12'651 |
| Alphubel Pass | Zermatt to Saas-Fee | snow | 3802 | 12'474 |
| Adler Pass | Zermatt to Saas-Fee | snow | 3798 | 12'461 |
| Moming Pass | Zermatt to Zinal | snow | 3745 | 12'287 |
| Schwarzthor | Zermatt to Ayas | snow | 3741 | 12'274 |
| Col de Triolet | Chamonix to Courmayeur | snow | 3691 | 12'110 |
| Ried Pass | Sankt-Niklaus to Saas-Fee | snow | 3597 | 11'800 |
| New Weissthor | Zermatt to Macugnaga | snow | 3580 | 11'746 |
| Allalin Pass | Zermatt to Saas-Fee] | snow | 3570 | 11'713 |
| Col de Valpelline | Zermatt to Aosta | snow | 3562 | 11'687 |
| Biesjoch | Randa to Turtmann | snow | 3549 | 11'644 |
| Triftjoch | Zermatt to Zinal | snow | 3540 | 11'615 |
| Col d'Argentière | Chamonix to Orsières | snow | 3516 | 11'536 |
| Col du Sonadon | Bourg-Saint-Pierre to the Val de Bagnes | snow | 3489 | 11'447 |
| Col de Talefre | Chamonix to Courmayeur | snow | 3484 | 11'430 |
| Col d'Herens | Zermatt to Evolène | snow | 3480 | 11'418 |
| Col Durand | Zermatt to Zinal | snow | 3474 | 11'398 |
| Col des Maisons Blanches | Bourg-Saint-Pierre to the Val de Bagnes | snow | 3426 | 11'241 |
| Col de Bertol | Arolla to the Col d'Herens | snow | 3414 | 11'200 |
| Col de Miage | Les Contamines to Courmayeur | snow | 3376 | 11'077 |
| Col du Geant | Chamonix to Courmayeur | snow | 3371 | 11'060 |
| Col du Mont Rouge | Val de Bagnes to the Val d'Hérémence | snow | 3341 | 10'962 |
| Col du Chardonnet | Chamonix to Orsières | snow | 3325 | 10'909 |
| Theodulpass | Zermatt to Valtournenche | snow | 3322 | 10'899 |
| Col du Tour | Chamonix to Orsières | snow | 3280 | 10'762 |
| Fenetre de Saleinaz | Saleinaz Glacier to Trient Glacier | snow | 3264 | 10'709 |
| Col de Tracuit | Zinal to Turtmann | snow | 3252 | 10'670 |
| Zwischbergen Pass | Saas-Fee to Gondo | snow | 3248 | 10'657 |
| Col d'Oren | Val de Bagnes to the Valpelline | snow | 3242 | 10'637 |
| Col de Seilon | Val de Bagnes to the Val d'Hérémence | snow | 3200 | 10'499 |
| Col du Cret | Val de Bagnes to the Val d'Hérémence | snow | 3148 | 10'329 |
| Col de Valcournera | Valtournenche to the Valpelline | snow | 3147 | 10'325 |
| Col de Collon | Arolla to Aosta | snow | 3130 | 10'270 |
| Col de Valsorey | Bourg-Saint-Pierre to Aosta | snow | 3113 | 10'214 |
| Col de Chermontane | Val de Bagnes to Arolla | snow | 3084 | 10'119 |
| Cimes Blanches | Valtournenche to Ayas | bridle path | 2980 | 9777 |
| Col de Torrent | Evolène to the Val de Torrent | bridle path | 2924 | 9593 |
| Augstbord Pass | Sankt-Niklaus to Turtmann | bridle path | 2893 | 9492 |
| Col de Crete Seche | Val de Bagnes to the Valpelline | snow | 2888 | 9475 |
| Col de Breuil | Bourg-Saint Maurice to La Thuile | snow | 2879 | 9446 |
| Col d'Olen | Alagna to Gressoney | bridle path | 2871 | 9420 |
| Monte Moro | Saas-Fee to Macugnaga | bridle path | 2862 | 9390 |
| Pas de Chevres | Arolla to the Val d'Hérémence | foot path | 2851 | 9354 |
| Antrona Pass | Saas-Fee to Antrona | bridle path | 2844 | 9331 |
| Col de Sorebois | Zinal to the Val de Torrent | bridle path | 2825 | 9269 |
| Col de Vessona | Valpelline to Nus | foot path | 2794 | 9167 |
| Fenêtre de Durand | Val de Bagnes to Aosta | bridle path | 2786 | 9141 |
| Z'Meiden Pass | Zinal to Turtmann | bridle path | 2772 | 9095 |
| Turlo Pass | Alagna to Macugnaga | foot path | 2736 | 8977 |
| Fenêtre de Ferret | Great St Bernard to the Swiss Val Ferret | bridle path | 2699 | 8855 |
| Colle Bettaforca | Ayas to Gressoney | bridle path | 2676 | 8780 |
| Col du Mont Tondu | Contamines to Courmayeur | snow | 2590 | 8498 |
| Col Serena | Great St Bernard to Courmayeur | foot path | 2538 | 8327 |
| Col Ferret | Courmayeur to Orsières | bridle path | 2533 | 8311 |
| Col de la Seigne | Les Chapieux to Courmayeur | bridle path | 2512 | 8242 |
| Col de Susanfe | Champéry to Salvan | foot path | 2500 | 8202 |
| Col du Bonhomme | Contamines to Les Chapieux | bridle path | 2483 | 8147 |
| Col de Valdobbia | Gressoney to the Val Sesia | bridle path | 2479 | 8134 |
| Great St Bernard | Martigny to Aosta | road | 2472 | 8111 |
| Col de Sageroux | Sixt to Champéry | foot path | 2413 | 7917 |
| Col de Moud | Alagna to Rima | bridle path | 2323 | 7622 |
| Col d'Anterne | Sixt to Servoz | bridle path | 2263 | 7425 |
| Col d'Egua | Rima to the Valle Anzasca | bridle path | 2236 | 7336 |
| Col de Balme | Chamonix to the Trient Valley | bridle path | 2201 | 7221 |
| Simplon Pass | Brig to Domodossola | road | 2009 | 6592 |
| Colle Checrouit | Courmayeur to the Lac de Combal | bridle path | 1960 | 6431 |
| Baranca Pass | Varallo to the Val Anzasca | bridle path | 1820 | 5971 |
| Col de Voza | Chamonix to Les Contamines | bridle path | 1675 | 5496 |
| Col de la Forclaz | Chamonix to Saint-Gervais | bridle path | 1556 | 5105 |
| Col de la Forclaz | Argentière to Martigny | road | 1520 | 4987 |