Maritime Alps

Maritime Alps
French: Alpes Maritimes Italian: Alpi Marittime
Maritime Alps
Highest point
Peak	Monte Argentera
Elevation	3,297 m (10,817 ft)
Coordinates	44°10′45″N 7°18′18″E / 44.17917°N 7.30500°E / 44.17917; 7.30500
Geography
Countries	France, Italy and Monaco
Region, Région	Piedmont, Liguria Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Range coordinates	44°14′N 7°11′E / 44.23°N 7.18°E / 44.23; 7.18Coordinates: 44°14′N 7°11′E / 44.23°N 7.18°E / 44.23; 7.18
Parent range	Alps
Borders on	Ligurian Alps, Cottian Alps, Provence Alps and Prealps and Mediterranean sea
Geology
Orogeny	Alpine orogeny

The Maritime Alps (French: Alpes Maritimes [alp maʁitim]; Italian: Alpi Marittime [ˈalpi maˈrittime]) are a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps. They form the border between the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and the Italian regions of Piedmont and Liguria. They are the southernmost part of the Alps.

Geography

Administratively the range is divided between the Italian provinces of Cuneo and Imperia (eastern slopes) and the French department of Alpes-Maritimes (western slopes).

The Maritime Alps are drained by the rivers Roya, Var and Verdon and their tributaries on the French side; by the Stura di Demonte and other tributaries of the Tanaro and Po on the Italian side. There are many attractive perched villages, such as Belvédère at the entrance to the spectacular Gordolasque valley, some concealing unexpected architectural riches (for example in the south there are numerous churches decorated with murals and altar pieces by primitive Niçois painters).

Borders

The borders of the Maritime Alps are (anticlockwise):

• Vermenagna creek, Col de Tende - which connects them with the Ligurian Alps - and Roya (east);
• Mediterranean sea and Var valley (south)
• Verdon, Col d'Allos - which connects them with Provence Alps and Prealps - and Ubaye (west);
• Colle della Maddalena (which connects them with the Cottian Alps) and Stura di Demonte (north).

Peaks

The main peaks of the Maritime Alps are:

Passes

Col d'allos (2,250 m)

The chief passes of the Maritime Alps are:

Nature conservation

Mercantour National Park

The French Mercantour National Park (central area:68,500 ha + peripheral area:140,000 ha ^[1]) is part of the Maritime Alps as well as the Parco naturale delle Alpi Marittime, an Italian regional nature park of 28,455 ha.^[2]

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "^{article name needed}". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

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