The Petit Col Ferret (or ''Col du Petit Ferret'') is an

Alpine Alpine may refer to any mountainous region. It may also refer to: Places Europe * Alps, a European mountain range ** Alpine states, which overlap with the European range Australia * Alpine, New South Wales, a Northern Village * Alpine National P ...

pass between the canton of

Valais Valais ( , ; ), more formally, the Canton of Valais or Wallis, is one of the cantons of Switzerland, 26 cantons forming the Switzerland, Swiss Confederation. It is composed of thirteen districts and its capital and largest city is Sion, Switzer ...

and the

Aosta Valley The Aosta Valley ( ; ; ; or ), officially the Autonomous Region of Aosta Valley, is a mountainous Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region in northwestern Italy. It is bordered by Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Fr ...

Features

The pass stands on the

main chain of the Alps The main chain of the Alps, also called the Alpine divide is the central line of mountains that forms the drainage divide of the range. Main chains of mountain ranges are traditionally designated in this way, and generally include the highest p ...

at an elevation of 2,490 m. It separates the Mont Blanc Massif (thus the

Graian Alps The Graian Alps (Latin language, Latin:: ''Alpes Graiæ'' ; ; ) are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps, and the name of an Roman province, Antic Rome province. Etymology The name ''Graie'' comes from the ''Graioceli'' Celts, Celt ...

) from the

Pennine Alps The Pennine Alps (, , , ), sometimes referred to as the Valais Alps (which are just the Northern Swiss part of the Pennine Alps), are a mountain range in the western part of the Alps. They are located in Italy (the Aosta Valley and Piedmont) an ...

. In spite of this peculiarity, it is less known and frequented than the neighbouring ''Col du Grand Ferret'' (often simply named as ''

Col Ferret The Col Ferret (or ''Grand Col Ferret'') is an Alpine pass between the canton of Valais and the Aosta Valley ( ). It is crossed by the route of the Tour du Mont Blanc. Close to it stands the '' Petit Col Ferret'', at an elevation of , which sepa ...

''), which is located South of the ''Petit Col Ferret'' on the route of the

Tour du Mont Blanc The Tour du Mont Blanc or TMB is one of the most popular long-distance walks in Europe. It circles the Mont Blanc massif, covering a distance of roughly with of ascent/descent and passing through parts of Switzerland, Italy and France. ...

. The two passes are divided by the modest elevation of the ''Tête de Ferret'' (2,714 m).

Access

The pass is located on the access route to the ''Fiorio''

hut A hut is a small dwelling, which may be constructed of various local materials. Huts are a type of vernacular architecture because they are built of readily available materials such as wood, snow, stone, grass, palm leaves, branches, clay, hid ...

at 2,274 m), which can be used as a foothold for ascents and hikes around the Pré de Bar glacier. Both the accesses from Italy and from Switzerland are more challenging than the ones to the Col du Grand Ferret.

References

{{Mont Blanc massif Mountain passes of Valais Mountain passes of Aosta Valley Mountain passes of the Alps Italy–Switzerland border crossings

Features

Access

See also

References