Cottian Alps
French Alpes Cottiennes, Italian Alpi Cozie, segment of the Western Alps extending along the French-Italian border between Maddalena Pass and the Maritime Alps (south) and Mont Cenis and the Graian Alps (north). Mount Viso (12,602 feet [3,841 m]) is the highest point. The western spurs are known as the Dauphiné Alps. The main activities in the mountains include climbing and skiing. They form the border between France (Hautes-Alpes and Savoie) and Italy (Piedmont). The Maddalena Pass separates them from the Maritime Alps; the Col du Mont Cenis separates them from the Graian Alps; the Col du Galibier separates them from the Dauphiné Alps. The Fréjus Road Tunnel and Fréjus Rail Tunnel between Modane and Susa are important transportation arteries between France (Lyon, Grenoble) and Italy (Turin).
The Cottian Alps are drained by the rivers Durance and Arc and their tributaries on the French side; by the Dora Riparia and other tributaries of the Po on the Italian side.
The great limestone ramparts of Monte Viso, the ‘Stone King’ as it is known locally, overlook Casteldelfino, now in Italy though two centuries previously part of the French Delfinato. From here the Varaita River descends a few kilometers before passing our hotel en route to joining the Po on the floodplains of Piedmont. The limestone of the Cottian Alps changes abruptly to the acidic rocks of the Queyras a few miles to the west of high passes where we’ll encounter a rich tapestry of alpine wonders. For this is marvelous butterfly and flower country. One can expect up to 70 species of butterfly in a single day. All three European Apollo species float about the flowery slopes along with Moorland Clouded Yellow and any number of confusing Ringlets. The local Glandon Blue flies with Titania’s Fritillary while colourful subalpine meadows are further enlivened by shimmering Scarce and Purple-shot Coppers, and lower warmer slopes will have Large Blues, Great Sooty Satyr and Foulquier’s Grizzled Skipper. The flowers are if anything even more impressive. Fine Saxifrages adorn rocks and this is the best time to see them - diapensioides, adscendens and strange biflora among them. There’s Gentians and Primulas, Lilies and Pinks, alpine Buttercups both white and yellow, delicate Snowbells, gorgeous King of the Alps, and the lovely ‘Vanilla Orchid’ Nigritella corneliana.
The Cottian Alps are drained by the rivers Durance and Arc and their tributaries on the French side; by the Dora Riparia and other tributaries of the Po on the Italian side.The great limestone ramparts of Monte Viso, the ‘Stone King’ as it is known locally, overlook Casteldelfino, now in Italy though two centuries previously part of the French Delfinato. From here the Varaita River descends a few kilometers before passing our hotel en route to joining the Po on the floodplains of Piedmont. The limestone of the Cottian Alps changes abruptly to the acidic rocks of the Queyras a few miles to the west of high passes where we’ll encounter a rich tapestry of alpine wonders. For this is marvelous butterfly and flower country. One can expect up to 70 species of butterfly in a single day. All three European Apollo species float about the flowery slopes along with Moorland Clouded Yellow and any number of confusing Ringlets. The local Glandon Blue flies with Titania’s Fritillary while colourful subalpine meadows are further enlivened by shimmering Scarce and Purple-shot Coppers, and lower warmer slopes will have Large Blues, Great Sooty Satyr and Foulquier’s Grizzled Skipper. The flowers are if anything even more impressive. Fine Saxifrages adorn rocks and this is the best time to see them - diapensioides, adscendens and strange biflora among them. There’s Gentians and Primulas, Lilies and Pinks, alpine Buttercups both white and yellow, delicate Snowbells, gorgeous King of the Alps, and the lovely ‘Vanilla Orchid’ Nigritella corneliana.
posted by titzu at 12:13 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home