Dauphiné Prealps

The Dauphiné Prealps (Préalpes du Dauphiné in French) are a mountain range in the south-western part of the Alps. They are located in Rhône-Alpes and, marginally, in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (south-eastern France). Dauphiné Prealps are the central section of the French Prealps.

Dauphiné Prealps
Préalpes du Dauphiné
Grande Tête de l'Obiou
Highest point
Peak	Grande Tête de l'Obiou
Elevation	2,790 m (9,150 ft) [1]
Coordinates	44°46′31″N 5°50′22″E
Geography
Dauphiné Prealps (section nr.6) within Western Alps
Country	France
Région	Rhône-Alpes, Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Rivers	Drac, Durance, Isère and Drôme
Parent range	Alps
Borders on	Provence Alps and Prealps, Dauphiné Alps and Savoy Prealps
Geology
Orogeny	Alpine orogeny
Type of rock	Sedimentary rocks[2]

Etymology

The Dauphiné (pronounced [dofine]) is a historical region whose area roughly corresponded to that of the present departments of Isère, Drôme, and Hautes-Alpes.

Geography

Administratively the French part of the range belongs to the French departments of Isère, Drôme, Hautes-Alpes and, marginally, Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. The whole range is drained by the Rhone river.

SOIUSA classification

According to SOIUSA (International Standardized Mountain Subdivision of the Alps) the mountain range is an Alpine section, classified in the following way:[3]

• Main part = Western Alps
• Major sector = South Western Alps
• Section = Dauphiné Prealps
• Code = I/A-6

Borders

Dauphiné Prealps' borders are (anticlockwise):

• Isère (north);
• Drac, Col Bayard - which connects them with Dauphiné Alps - and Durance (east)
• Buëch, Col de Macuègne - which connects them with Provence Alps and prealps - and Toulourenc river (south);
• Rhone and Isère valleys (west).

Subdivision

The Dauphiné Prealps are divided into five Alpine subsections:[3]

• Dévoluy Mountains - SOIUSA code:I/A-6.I;
• Massif Céüse-Aujour - SOIUSA code:I/A-6.II;
• Massif du Vercors - SOIUSA code:I/A-6.III;
• Massif du Diois - SOIUSA code:I/A-6.IV;
• Massif des Baronnies - SOIUSA code:I/A-6.V.

Notable summits

The Grand Veymont in winter

Some notable summits of the range are:

Name	metres	feet
Grande Tête de l'Obiou	2,790	9,148
Grand Ferrand	2,759	9,049
Pic de Bure	2,709	8,885
Jocou	2,501	8,203
Grand Veymont	2,346	7,694

Notable passes

Col Bayard, 1,248 m

Some notable passes of the range are:

Name	location	type	elevation (m)	elevation (ft)
Col de la Croix Haute	Clelles to Lus-la-Croix-Haute	road	1,179	3,867
Col Bayard	Gap to Grenoble	road	1,248	4,093
Col du Noyer	Le Noyer to Saint-Étienne-en-Dévoluy	road	1,664	5,458

References

1. Highest summit elevation as reported on Géoportail of Institut Géographique National
2. Préalpes, article on Larousse encyclopedia (on line version:www.larousse.fr/encyclopedie)
3. Marazzi, Sergio (2005). Atlante Orografico delle Alpi. SOIUSA (in Italian). Priuli & Verlucca. ISBN 978-88-8068-273-8.

Maps

• French official cartography (Institut Géographique National - IGN); on-line version: www.geoportail.fr