Rocciamelone

The Rocciamelone seen from the Colle delle Finestre from

The Rocciamelone from the Susa Valley

The Rocciamelone ( Piedmontese Rociamlon, French Rochemelon ) lies on the southern edge of the Graian and towers over the city of Susa by about 3000 meters. Thus it has long been considered the highest mountain in the Alps.

The first ascent was made in the Middle Ages by Bonifacio Rotario d' Asti in the form of a pilgrimage in gratitude to have escaped slavery among the Turks. In memory of the first man to climb the mountain hut called to 2854 m above sea level on the southern flank of the Rocciamelone (normal rise) Rifugio Cà d' Asti.

At the summit today stands a statue of Mary and a chapel ( with bivouac area), the highest in the Alps. The Pilgrimage to the Madonna della Neve is held every year on August 5. For this purpose, a bag carried by the pilgrims sand from the hut to the summit. Pope John Paul II has written for the centenary of the Virgin Mary statue at the summit in 1999, a welcome address.

The three most important (and easiest) access paths are of Bessans (F) of Susa and of Usseglio.

The peak counts by the maintained path to the lightest " Three and a half thousand meter " (cf. Barrhorn ) and therefore provides a view that is rarely seen elsewhere accessible for hikers and large parts of the French Alps and the entire Lombard- Piedmontese Alps arc comprises - from the Ligurian Alps on the Monte Viso ( Cottian Alps) in the south of Mont Blanc, the Gran Paradiso and Monte Rosa in the north to the Bernina group and Adamello in the Northeast.