Editing Maritime Alps

{{Short description|Mountain range in France and Italy}}
{{Infobox mountain
 | name              = Maritime Alps
 | other_name        = {{langx|fr|Alpes Maritimes}}<br />{{langx|it|Alpi Marittime}}
 | photo             = Maritime Alps.jpg
 | photo_caption     = Maritime Alps
 | country           = {{hlist|[[France]]|[[Italy]]|[[Monaco]]}}
 | subdivision1_type = [[regions of Italy|Regions]], [[regions of France|Régions]]
 | subdivision1      = {{hlist|[[Piedmont]]|[[Liguria]]|[[Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur]]}}
 | parent            = Alps
 | borders_on        = {{hlist|[[Ligurian Alps]]|[[Cottian Alps]]|[[Provence Alps and Prealps]]|[[Mediterranean Sea]]}}
 | subdivision4_type = Rivers
 | subdivision4      = {{hlist|[[Verdon (river)|Verdon]]|[[Ubaye]]|[[Roya (river)|Roya]]|[[Var River|Var]]|[[Stura di Demonte]]}}
 | length_mi         = 
 | length_orientation= 
 | width_mi          = 
 | width_orientation = 
 | geology           = 
 | orogeny           = [[Alpine orogeny]]
 | highest           = Monte Argentera
 | elevation_m       = 3297
 | range_coordinates = {{coord|44|13.9|N|7|10.6|E|type:mountain_region:IT_scale:300000|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
 | coordinates       = {{coord|44|10|45|N|7|18|18|E|type:mountain_region:IT_scale:100000|format=dms|display=inline}}
 | map               = 
 | map_caption       = The Maritime Alps within the Western Alps
}}

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

== Geography ==
Administratively the range is divided between the [[Provinces of Italy|Italian provinces]] of [[Province of Cuneo|Cuneo]] and [[Province of Imperia|Imperia]] (eastern slopes) and the [[Departments of France|French department]] of [[Alpes-Maritimes]] (western slopes).

The Maritime Alps are drained by the rivers [[Roya (river)|Roya]], [[Var River|Var]] and [[Verdon River|Verdon]] and their tributaries on the French side; by the [[Stura di Demonte]] and other tributaries of the [[Tanaro River|Tanaro]] and [[Po River|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 altarpieces by primitive [[Nice|Niçois]] painters).

=== Borders ===
The borders of the Maritime Alps are as follows (clockwise):
* [[Vermenagna]] creek, [[Col de Tende]] - which connects them with the [[Ligurian Alps]] - and [[Roya (river)|Roya]] (east);
* [[Mediterranean Sea]] and [[Var (river)|Var]] valley (south)
* [[Verdon (river)|Verdon]], [[Col d'Allos]] - which connects them with [[Provence Alps and Prealps]] - and [[Ubaye]] (west);
* [[Maddalena Pass]] (which connects them with the [[Cottian Alps]]) and [[Stura di Demonte]] (north).

==Peaks==
The main peaks of the Maritime Alps are:
{|class= wikitable
! Name !! Elevation
|-
|[[Monte Argentera]] || 3,297&nbsp;m 
|-
| [[Monte Stella (Alps)|Monte Stella]] || 3,262&nbsp;m
|-
| [[Cima Genova]] || 3,191&nbsp;m
|-
| [[Cime du Gélas]] || 3,135&nbsp;m
|-
| [[Cima di Nasta]] || 3,108&nbsp;m 
|-
| [[Monte Matto]] || 3,097&nbsp;m 
|-
| [[Cima del Baus]] || 3,067&nbsp;m 
|-
| [[Mont Pelat]] || 3,053&nbsp;m 
|-
| [[Mont Clapier]] || 3,046&nbsp;m
|-
| [[Mont Ténibre]] || 3,032&nbsp;m
|-
| [[Enciastraia]] || 2,955&nbsp;m
|-
|[[Mont Bégo]] ||2,872&nbsp;m
|-
| [[Mont Mounier]] || 2,818&nbsp;m 
|-
|[[Roche de l'Abisse]] || 2,755&nbsp;m
|-
|[[Monte Grammondo]] || 1,378&nbsp;m
|}

==Mountain passes==
[[File:Allos001.jpg|thumb|Col d'allos (2,250&nbsp;m)]]
The chief [[mountain pass|passes]] of the Maritime Alps are:
{| class="wikitable"
!Name!! Location !! Type !! Elevation
|-
| [[Col de la Bonette]] || [[Tinée Valley]] to [[Barcelonnette]] || Road (minor loop climbs to 2,802&nbsp;m) || 2715
|-
| [[Col de Restefond]] || [[Col de la Bonette]] to [[Barcelonnette]] || Road  || 2680
|-
| [[Bassa di Druos]] || Tinée Valley to [[Terme di Valdieri]] || Bridle path || 2630
|-
| [[Colle di Ciriegia]] || [[Saint-Martin-Vésubie]] to Terme di Valdieri || Bridle path || 2551
|-
| [[Col des Granges Communes]] || [[Saint-Étienne-de-Tinée]] to Barcelonnette || Bridle path || 2512
|- 
| [[Col de Pourriac]] || Tinee Valley to [[Argentera]] || Footpath  || 2506
|-
|[[Colle di Guercia]] || Tinee Valley to [[Vinadio]] || Footpath || 2451
|-
| [[Col de la Lombarde]] || [[Isola, Alpes-Maritimes|Isola]] to Vinadio || Road || 2350
|-
| [[Col de la Cayolle]] || [[Var River]] valley to Barcelonnette || Road ||   2327
|-
| [[Col du Sabion]] || [[Tende]] to [[Valdieri]] || Bridle path || 2264
|-
| [[Col d'Allos]] || [[Verdon River]] valley to Barcelonnette || Road || 2250
|-
|[[Maddalena Pass]] || Barcelonnette to [[Cuneo]] || Road || 1995
|-
| [[Col de Tende]] || Tende to Cuneo  || Road, road tunnel<BR> Railway tunnel || 1873
|-
| [[Col de Turini]] ||  [[Vésubie]] river valley to [[Sospel]] || Road || 1607
|}

== Nature conservation ==
[[File:Mont Pelat + Lake Allos tour 19.jpg|thumb|[[Mercantour National Park]]]]
The French [[Mercantour National Park]] (central area:68,500 [[hectare|ha]] + peripheral area:140,000 [[hectare|ha]])<ref>'' Le Parc national du Mercantour'', [http://www.vesubian.com/sites/loisirs/mercantour.htm www.vesubian.com] (accessed on April 2012)</ref> is part of the Maritime Alps as well as the [[Maritime Alps Natural Park]], an Italian regional nature park of 28,455 [[hectare|ha]].<ref>''Parco delle Alpi Marittime'', web-site of the park on [http://www.parks.it/parco.alpi.marittime/par.php www.parks.it] (accessed on April 2012)</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

* {{EB1911 |wstitle=Alps |volume=1 |page=741 |first=William Augustus Brevoort |last=Coolidge |authorlink=W. A. B. Coolidge}}

==Maps==
* Italian official cartography (''[[Istituto Geografico Militare]]'' - IGM); on-line version: [http://www.pcn.minambiente.it/viewer/ www.pcn.minambiente.it]
* French official cartography (''[[Institut Géographique National]]'' - IGN); on-line version:  [http://www.geoportail.fr/5069711/visu2D/afficher-en-2d.htm www.geoportail.fr]
{{Western Alps}}{{SOIUSA sections of the Alps|state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Maritime Alps| ]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of the Alps]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of Piedmont]]
[[Category:Mountains of Alpes-Maritimes]]
[[Category:Mountain ranges of Liguria]]
[[Category:Western Alps]]

[[es:Alpes Marítimos y prealpes de Niza]]
[[it:Alpi Marittime e Prealpi di Nizza]]