From Freepedia
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Coordinates:
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45°30′ N 7°10′ E
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First ascent:
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1358 by Bonifacius Rotarius
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route:
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scramble, partly roped path
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Rochemelon (or
Roche Melon),
Rocciamelone in
Italian, is a
mountain on the
France-
Italy border, 50 km (30 mi) west of
Turin. This was the first high mountain in the Alps to be attempted and successfully climbed.
Bonifacius Rotarius (of
Asti) made the
first ascent of Rochemelon in
1358.
The summit of Rochemelon is the aim of a traditional pilgrimage, every year, on
August 5. A three m high statue of the
Blessed Virgin Mary was erected there in
1899.
As an oddity, the international border does not exactly follow the watershed in this sector. The summit of Rochemelon is fully Italian, as is the upper first kilometre of
glacier de Rochemelon, this area of about 4 square kilometres constitutes the only Italian territory portion of the
Rhône River basin.
External link
