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The Grande Casse (3,855 m) is the highest
mountain
A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually highe ...
of the Vanoise Massif in the Graian Alps
, it, Alpi Graie
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in the region of Savoie
Savoie (; Arpitan: ''Savouè'' or ''Savouè-d'Avâl''; English: ''Savoy'' ) is a department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, Southeastern France. Located in the French Alps, its prefecture is Chambéry. In 2019, Savoie had a population ...
, France. It is located in the heart of the Vanoise National Park, near the village of Pralognan-la-Vanoise
Pralognan-la-Vanoise (; frp, Pralonyan) is a commune in the Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.
The Patinoire olympique was the curling venue for the 1992 Winter Olympics.Moûtiers. It has a steep 600 m high north face. The other sides of the mountain are more gentle, mostly consisting of broken rocks. A high ridge connects it to the nearby peak of Grande Motte.
The ridge connecting the Grande Casse and the Grande Motte is the watershed between the
Despite its height it has a relatively easy normal route to the summit. Climbers usually start from the ''Les Grands Couloirs'' glacier and ascend the southwest side of the mountain. The north face is an extreme skiing destination.
The
Description of normal route (in French)
Alpine three-thousanders Mountains of the Graian Alps Mountains of Savoie Highest points of French national parks
Tarentaise Valley
The Tarentaise Valley (french: Vallée de la Tarentaise, ; frp, Tarentèsa) is a valley of the Isère River in the heart of the French Alps, located in the Savoy region of France. The valley is named for the ancient town of ''Darantasia'', the ...
in the north and Maurienne valley to the south.
Climbing
Despite its height it has a relatively easy normal route to the summit. Climbers usually start from the ''Les Grands Couloirs'' glacier and ascend the southwest side of the mountain. The north face is an extreme skiing destination.
The first ascent
In mountaineering, a first ascent (abbreviated to FA in guide books) is the first successful, documented attainment of the top of a mountain or the first to follow a particular climbing route. First mountain ascents are notable because they en ...
was made by William Mathews along with guides Michel Croz
Michel Auguste Croz (22 April 1830 in Le Tour, Chamonix valley – 14 July 1865, on the Matterhorn) was a French mountain guide and the first ascentionist of many mountains in the western Alps during the golden age of alpinism. He is chiefly reme ...
and E. Favre via the southwest face on 8 August 1860. The north face was climbed on 6 August 1933 by the Italians Aldo Bonacossa and L. Binaghi.
The Refuge Félix Faure (2,516 m), used for the normal route, is located at the Col de la Vanoise.
Main routes to the summit
This is an overview of the most common routes to the summit: # Normal route, "Les Grands couloirs" (PD+, 400 m with a gradient of around 40°), commonly climbed by skiers and climbers. # Petite face nord (AD, 600 m at 45-50°). # Couloir Messimy (AD, 45-50°). # North face, "Couloir des italiens" (D, 800 m at 55-60°).See also
* List of mountains of the Alps above 3000 mReferences
External links
* {{cite summitpost , id=151539 , name=Grande CasseDescription of normal route (in French)
Alpine three-thousanders Mountains of the Graian Alps Mountains of Savoie Highest points of French national parks