Colle delle Selle Vecchie
Col de la Celle Vieille
View from the Cima di Pertegà
Elevation2,097 m (6,880 ft)[1]
Traversed byformer military dirt road
LocationPiedmont, Italy
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, France
RangeLigurian Alps
Coordinates44°08′32″N 7°40′36″E / 44.14221°N 7.67654°E / 44.14221; 7.67654
Col de la Celle Vieille is located in Alps
Col de la Celle Vieille
Col de la Celle Vieille
Location of the pass

Colle delle Selle Vecchie (in Italian) or Col de la Celle Vieille (in French) at 2,097 m is a mountain pass in the Ligurian Alps. It connects the valleys of Roya in France and Tanaro in Italy.

Etymology

The name of the pass probably came from an old name as like Col des Sels Vieils (Old salts pass), referring to sea salt which was transported from the Ligurian sea to Piedmont through it.[2]

Geography

The Colle delle Selle Vecchie is located on the main chain of the Alps between the Cima di Pertegà and Cime de l'Eveque with the neighbouring Monte Bertrand. It connects the basins of the Ligurian Sea (West of the pass) and the River Po. Administratively is the tripoint connecting the Italian municipality of Briga Alta, the French one of Tende and one exclave of La Brigue.[1]

History

The pass up to World War II was totally in Italian territory but, following the Paris Peace Treaties, signed in February 1947, is now on the border between Italy and France.[3][1]

Cycling

The pass is easily accessible with a mountain bike by following the old military road[4] connecting the pass with Colle dei Signori and Passo Tanarello.

See also

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Colle delle Selle Vecchie.
  1. ^ a b c Official map by Institut géographique national, on-line: www.geoportail.gouv.fr
  2. ^ Piergiorgio Martino and Mauro Ballestra (2007). La via del Sale (PDF) (in Italian). Blu edizione. p. 3. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
  3. ^ Treaty text on "Trattato di pace tra Italia ed Alleati". www.instoria.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2016-02-19.
  4. ^ "Saccarello (Monte) da la Brigue per Col Linaire, Baisse de Sanson, Colle delle Selle Vecchie". www.gulliver.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2017-11-23.
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