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Les-Praz-de-Chamonix
Les-Praz-de-Chamonix (more commonly known as Les Praz) is a mountain village in the French Alps, part of the commune of Chamonix. Altitude: 1060 m (3477 ft.). Geography Les Praz is located in the middle of the valley of Chamonix. It is connected to Switzerland by the pass over the Col des Montets, and the Col de la Forclaz to Martigny in the Rhône valley. Les Praz is the starting point for the cable car up to La Flégère, which is well known for skiing and snowboarding in winter or hiking and mountain biking in summer. Peaks on the west side of the village include the Aiguilles Rouges, much of which are a nature reserve. On the east side, the sky is dominated by the Aiguille du Dru and to the south by Mont Blanc Mont Blanc (french: Mont Blanc ; it, Monte Bianco , both meaning "white mountain") is the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe, rising above sea level. It is the second-most prominent mountain in Europe, after Mount Elbrus, and .... ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chamonix
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc ( frp, Chamôni), more commonly known as Chamonix, is a commune in the Haute-Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region of southeastern France. It was the site of the first Winter Olympics in 1924. In 2019, it had a population of 8,640. Situated to the north of Mont Blanc, between the peaks of the Aiguilles Rouges and the notable Aiguille du Midi, Chamonix is one of the oldest ski resorts in France. The Chamonix commune is popular with skiers and mountain enthusiasts. Via the cable car lift to the Aiguille du Midi it is possible to access the off-piste (backcountry) ski run of the ''Vallée Blanche''. Name The name Campum munitum, meaning fortified plain or field, had been used as early as 1091. By 1283 the name had been abbreviated to a similar form to the modern Chamonis. Other forms through the ages include Chamouny in 1581, Chamony in 1652, Chamouni in 1786, and the particular spelling Chamonix from 1793. Status Chamonix is the fourth-largest ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its Metropolitan France, metropolitan area extends from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean and from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea; overseas territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the North Atlantic, the French West Indies, and many islands in Oceania and the Indian Ocean. Due to its several coastal territories, France has the largest exclusive economic zone in the world. France borders Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Monaco, Italy, Andorra, and Spain in continental Europe, as well as the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Netherlands, Suriname, and Brazil in the Americas via its overseas territories in French Guiana and Saint Martin (island), ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, and Slovenia. The Alpine arch generally extends from Nice on the western Mediterranean to Trieste on the Adriatic and Vienna at the beginning of the Pannonian Basin. The mountains were formed over tens of millions of years as the African and Eurasian tectonic plates collided. Extreme shortening caused by the event resulted in marine sedimentary rocks rising by thrusting and folding into high mountain peaks such as Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn. Mont Blanc spans the French–Italian border, and at is the highest mountain in the Alps. The Alpine region area contains 128 peaks higher than . The altitude and size of the range affect the climate in Europe; in the mountains, precipitation ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Switzerland
). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel, St. Gallen a.o.). , coordinates = , largest_city = Zürich , official_languages = , englishmotto = "One for all, all for one" , religion_year = 2020 , religion_ref = , religion = , demonym = , german: Schweizer/Schweizerin, french: Suisse/Suissesse, it, svizzero/svizzera or , rm, Svizzer/Svizra , government_type = Federalism, Federal assembly-independent Directorial system, directorial republic with elements of a direct democracy , leader_title1 = Federal Council (Switzerland), Federal Council , leader_name1 = , leader_title2 = , leader_name2 = Walter Thurnherr , legislature = Fe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Col Des Montets
Col des Montets (elevation ) is a mountain pass in the French Alps in the Haute-Savoie department of France. It is on the road between Chamonix, the Swiss Col de la Forclaz and Martigny in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. The pass is generally open in winter, but it can be closed in extreme weather and frequently requires snow chains and/or winter tires. Conditions can be checked with Chamonix tourist office. The railway tunnel of the Saint-Gervais–Vallorcine railway has been modified to also carry road traffic on a convoy basis between trains when the pass is closed. Elizabeth Robins Pennell bicycled through the pass in the 1890s. The pass appeared in the Tour de France five times from 1959 to 1977: Charly Gaul was the first rider to cross the pass in 1959. See also * List of highest paved roads in Europe * List of mountain passes This is a list of mountain passes. Africa Egypt * Halfaya Pass (near Libya) Lesotho * Moteng Pass * Mahlasela pass * Sani Pass ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Col De La Forclaz
Col de la Forclaz (el. ) is a mountain pass in the Alps in the Canton of Valais in Switzerland. It connects Martigny at and Le Châtelard (Finhaut). The road from Martigny to the Col has an average gradient of 6% but in parts is closer to 8%. After the Col, and Le Châtelard, the road leads to Chamonix in France via Vallorcine and the Col des Montets. The pass was little known in the 19th century. It was not until the rise in tourism, particularly in Chamonix, that the region became a popular tourist area. History The pass was originally a track used by mule teams and smugglers that zig-zagged up the mountain face from Martigny and over into France. Construction on the road was begun in 1827 and the tunnel completed in 1836 (and expanded in 1905). The road was at first opened only to public transport and was not open to private vehicles until 1920. At the time, the pass was closed at night, and the speed limit was . Today, the pass is an important link to the tourist area ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Martigny, Switzerland
Martigny (; german: Martinach, ; la, Octodurum) is the capital city of the district of Martigny, canton of Valais, Switzerland. It lies at an elevation of , and its population is approximately 15000 inhabitants (''Martignerains'' or "Octoduriens"). It is a junction of roads joining Italy, France and Switzerland. One road links it over the Great St. Bernard Pass to Aosta (Italy), and the other over the col de la Forclaz to Chamonix (France). In winter, Martigny is known for its numerous nearby Alp ski resorts such as Verbier. Geography Martigny lies at an elevation of , about south-southeast of Montreux. It is on the left foothills of the steep hillsides of the Rhone Valley, at the foot of the Swiss Alps, and is located at the point where the southwestern-flowing Rhone turns ninety degrees northward and heads toward (Lake Geneva). The river La Drance flows from the southern Valais Alps (Wallis) through Martigny and joins the Rhone from the left just after Rhone's distinctive, al ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rhône River
The Rhône ( , ; wae, Rotten ; frp, Rôno ; oc, Ròse ) is a major river in France and Switzerland, rising in the Alps and flowing west and south through Lake Geneva and southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea. At Arles, near its mouth, the river divides into the Great Rhône (french: le Grand Rhône, links=no) and the Little Rhône (). The resulting delta forms the Camargue region. The river's source is the Rhône Glacier, at the east edge of the Swiss canton of Valais. The glacier is part of the Saint-Gotthard Massif, which gives rise to three other major rivers: the Reuss, Rhine and Ticino. The Rhône is, with the Po and Nile, one of the three Mediterranean rivers with the largest water discharge. Etymology The name ''Rhône'' continues the Latin name (Greek ) in Greco-Roman geography. The Gaulish name of the river was or (from a PIE root *''ret-'' "to run, roll" frequently found in river names). Names in other languages include german: Rh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aiguilles Rouges
The Aiguilles Rouges ("Red Needles") are a crystalline mountainous massif of the French Prealps, opposite the Mont Blanc Massif. The colour of the iron rich gneiss (metamorphique) mountains gives the range its name. The highest summit is the Aiguille du Belvédère at . At the southern end of the range, Le Brévent at is accessible by a cable car in the Planpraz and the Brévent sections. Morphology Unlike the massif of the Mont Blanc, the Aiguilles Rouges have no significant glaciers. The alpine stage begins around with rough boulders, above which a series of broken needles spring from the Col des Montets to Le Brévent. The northwestern side of the massif has less vegetation because of its lack of exposure to the sun. The southwest face abounds in vegetation which developed from a multitude of biotopes. Amongst the typical flora hikers can discover include sundews, martagons and many varieties of orchids. In order to protect this biodiversity, the Aiguilles Rouges ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aiguille Du Dru
The Aiguille du Dru (also the Dru or the Drus; French, Les Drus) is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps. It is situated to the east of the village of Les Praz in the Chamonix valley. "Aiguille" means "needle" in French. The mountain's highest summit is: * ''Grande Aiguille du Dru'' (or the ''Grand Dru'') 3,754 m Another, slightly lower sub-summit is: * ''Petite Aiguille du Dru'' (or the ''Petit Dru'') 3,733 m. The two summits are on the west ridge of the Aiguille Verte (4,122 m) and are connected to each other by the ''Brèche du Dru'' (3,697 m). The north face of the ''Petit Dru'' is considered one of the six great north faces of the Alps. The southwest "Bonatti" pillar and its eponymous climbing route were destroyed in a 2005 rock fall. Ascents The first ascent of the ''Grand Dru'' was by British alpinists Clinton Thomas Dent and James Walker Hartley, with guides Alexander Burgener and K. Maurer, who climbed it via the south-east face on 12 September 1878 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mont Blanc
Mont Blanc (french: Mont Blanc ; it, Monte Bianco , both meaning "white mountain") is the highest mountain in the Alps and Western Europe, rising above sea level. It is the second-most prominent mountain in Europe, after Mount Elbrus, and it is the eleventh most prominent mountain summit in the world. It gives its name to the Mont Blanc massif which straddles parts of France, Italy and Switzerland. Mont Blanc's summit lies on the watershed line between the valleys of Ferret and Veny in Italy, and the valleys of Montjoie, and Arve in France. Ownership of the summit area has long been a subject of dispute between France and Italy. The Mont Blanc massif is popular for outdoor activities like hiking, climbing, trail running and winter sports like skiing, and snowboarding. The most popular climbing route to the summit of Mont Blanc is the Goûter Route, which typically takes two days. The three towns and their communes which surround Mont Blanc are Courmayeur in Aosta Valle ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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