Ligurian Alps
The Ligurian Alps are a mountain range in northwestern Italy. A small part is located in France. They form the south-western extremity of the Alps, separated from the Apennines by the Colle di Cadibona. The Col de Tende separates them from the Maritime Alps. They form the border between Piedmont in the north and Liguria in the south.
Geography
Administratively the range is divided between the Italian provinces of Cuneo, Imperia and Savona and the French department of Alpes-Maritimes.The Ligurian Alps are drained by the Tanaro River, along with other tributaries of the Po River, on the Piedmontese side, and by several smaller rivers that flow directly to the Mediterranean Sea on the Ligurian and French side.
Chief peaks and passes
The chief peak of the Western Ligurian Alps is Punta Marguareis, and there are several other summits over 2000 m, while in Eastern Ligurian Alps the maximum elevation is 1739 m.Name | metres | feet |
Punta Marguareis | 2,651 | 8,695 |
Monte Mongioie | 2,631 | 8,632 |
Cima delle Saline | 2,612 | 8,567 |
Cima della Fascia | 2,495 | 8186 |
Monte Bertrand | 2,480 | 8136 |
Pizzo d'Ormea | 2,476 | 8,121 |
Cima di Pertegà | 2,404 | 7,887 |
Bric Costa Rossa | 2,403 | 7,884 |
Cime de Missun | 2,255 | 7726 |
Monte Besimauda | 2,231 | 7,317 |
Monte Saccarello | 2,201 | 7,219 |
Monte Frontè | 2,152 | 7,058 |
Monte Antoroto | 2,144 | 7,032 |
Monte Tanarello | 2,096 | 6,877 |
Monte Monega | 1,882 | 6,175 |
Bric Mindino | 1,879 | 6,163 |
Monte Armetta | 1,739 | 5,703 |
Monte Galero | 1,708 | 5,602 |
Monte della Guardia | 1,658 | 5,440 |
Rocca delle Penne | 1,501 | 4,925 |
Monte Carmo di Loano | 1,389 | 4,555 |
Monte Settepani | 1,386 | 4,546 |
Monte Spinarda | 1,357 | 4,453 |
Rocca Barbena | 1,142 | 3,747 |
Some important passes in the Ligurian Alps are listed below.
Name | Location | Type | Elevation |
Colle di Cadibona | Savona to Ceva | highway | |
Colle di Melogno | Finale Ligure to Ceva | road | |
Giogo di Toirano | Toirano to Bardineto | road | |
Colle Scravaion | Castelvecchio di Rocca Barbena to Bardineto | road | |
Colle San Bernardo | Albenga to Garessio | road | |
Colle di Nava | Imperia to Ormea | road | |
Colle del Quazzo | Calizzano to Garessio | road | |
Colle San Bernardo di Mendatica | Mendatica to Triora and Colle di Nava | road | |
Col de Tende/Colle di Tenda | Tende to Cuneo | road | |
Passo della Teglia | Molini di Triora to Rezzo | road |
Conservation
Around of the Ligurian side of the range since 2007 are part of the Parco naturale regionale delle Alpi Liguri. On the northern side of the range stands the Natural Park of Marguareis, another regional natural park established by the regional government of Piemonte in 1978.Maps
- Italian official cartography ; on-line version:
- French official cartography ; on-line version: