Dauphiné 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 / 44.77528°N 5.83944°E / 44.77528; 5.83944
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]

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.

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

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)
• Provence Alps and prealps
  - and Toulourenc river (south);
• Rhone and Isère
  valleys (west).

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

Some notable summits of the range are:

Notable passes

Some notable passes of the range are:

References