Col de Montgenèvre

Col de Montgenèvre
The obelisk celebrating Napoleon Bonaparte was erected in September 1804, two months before the First Consul had himself promoted and crowned as emperor.
Elevation	1,854 m (6,083 ft)
Traversed by	Route nationale 94 (France) SS24 del Monginevro (Italy)
Location
Col de Montgenèvre Location of Col de Montgenèvre
Location	Hautes-Alpes,  France /  Italy
Range	Cottian Alps
Coordinates	44°55′52″N 6°43′34″E / 44.93111°N 6.72611°E / 44.93111; 6.72611Coordinates: 44°55′52″N 6°43′34″E / 44.93111°N 6.72611°E / 44.93111; 6.72611

The Col de Montgenèvre (Italian: Passo del Monginevro; elevation 1854 m.) is a high mountain pass in the Cottian Alps, between France and Italy.

The pass takes its name from the village Montgenèvre (Hautes-Alpes), which lies in the vicinity. It links Briançon in the upper Durance valley with the Susa Valley and its communes of Cesana Torinese and Susa in the province of Turin, Piedmont.

The Col de Montgenèvre is an important road connection, and is kept open in winter. Its importance has always lain in the fact that it is the lowest of the principal crossings of the main range of the alps between France and Italy. It is used by keen cyclists notably the 1997 Tour de France and 1999 Tour de France and will be climbed again during Stage 17 of the 2011 Tour.

It appears to have become first known to the Romans when Pompey used it on his campaign to Spain in 77BC, claiming to have opened up a route more favorable than hitherto. It was subsequently used by Julius Caesar in travelling to Gaul and became thereafter the main route for travel between Roman Italy and southern Gaul or Spain.

Through this pass Charles VIII of France led his army in September 1494 on his way to capture the Kingdom of Naples, which would spark 65 years of intermittent warfare up and down Italy, later known as the Italian Wars.^[1]

See also

• List of highest paved roads in Europe
• List of mountain passes

References

1. ^ Francesco Guicciardini, Storia d'Italia, Book 1 chapter 9.