Rocca di Chardonnet


The Rocca di Chardonnet is a mountain in the Mont Cenis within the Cottian Alps. It is located in the French department of Hautes-Alpes. The mountain lies between the, a lateral valley of the Val di Susa, and the Clarée Valley southwest of Mont Thabor. It represents the tripoint where the basins of the Po, the Durance, and the Isère converge.

Description

The mountain is situated at the convergence of the three aforementioned ridges: the western ridge, which separates the Clarée Valley from the Neuvache valley, the northeastern ridge, which connects it to Mont Thabor while separating the latter valley from the Valle Stretta, and the southern ridge, which, via the Col des Muandes and the Rochers de l’Aigle, links Rocca di Chardonnet to. Numerous alpine lakes surround the mountain, including Lake Chardonnet to the southeast, the Lacs des Glaciers to the north, and the Lacs de la Madeleine toward Névache. Administratively, the area is divided between the commune of Névache and that of Valmeinier.
The two slopes of Rocca di Chardonnet located south of the main watershed are part of the champ de tir de Rochilles Mont Thabor, a zone used for military exercises by the French Army. During such exercises, access to the area is restricted to unauthorized persons.

History

The summit marked the border between Italy and France until 1947. The Treaty of Paris, signed after World War II, shifted the border to the start of the Valle Stretta. Until then, it was the westernmost point of Italy, and it still constitutes the westernmost point of the Italian geographical region.

Access to the summit

Summer access

The mountain can be reached via a trail that closely follows the southern ridge from the Col des Muandes, which can be accessed, also by trail, from the or from the Valle Stretta. The route is considered to have a hiking difficulty of E.
Access via the other two ridges of the mountain also presents no mountaineering difficulties.

Winter access

The mountain is also accessible with ski mountaineering skis or snowshoes. The ascent from the Valle Stretta side with snowshoes is considered to have a difficulty of BR.

Cartography