Maritime Alps
French: Alpes Maritimes Italian: Alpi Marittime
Maritime Alps
Highest point
Peak	Monte Argentera
Elevation	3,297 m (10,817 ft)
Coordinates	44°10′45″N 7°18′18″E / 44.17917°N 7.30500°E / 44.17917; 7.30500
Geography
Countries	France Italy Monaco
Regions, Régions	Piedmont Liguria Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Rivers	Verdon Ubaye Roya Var Stura di Demonte
Range coordinates	44°13.9′N 7°10.6′E / 44.2317°N 7.1767°E / 44.2317; 7.1767
Parent range	Alps
Borders on	Ligurian Alps Cottian Alps Provence Alps and Prealps Mediterranean Sea
Geology
Orogeny	Alpine orogeny

The Maritime Alps (French: Alpes Maritimes [alp maʁitim]; Italian: Alpi Marittime [ˈalpi maˈrittime]) are a mountain range in the southwestern part of the Alps. They form the border between the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and the Italian regions of Piedmont and Liguria. They are the southernmost part of the Alps.

Administratively the range is divided between the Italian provinces of Cuneo and Imperia (eastern slopes) and the French department of Alpes-Maritimes (western slopes).

The Maritime Alps are drained by the rivers Roya, Var and Verdon and their tributaries on the French side; by the Stura di Demonte and other tributaries of the Tanaro and Po on the Italian side. There are many attractive perched villages, such as Belvédère at the entrance to the spectacular Gordolasque valley, some concealing unexpected architectural riches (for example in the south there are numerous churches decorated with murals and altarpieces by primitive Niçois painters).

The borders of the Maritime Alps are as follows (clockwise):

• Vermenagna creek, Col de Tende - which connects them with the Ligurian Alps - and Roya (east);
• Mediterranean Sea and Var valley (south)
• Verdon, Col d'Allos - which connects them with Provence Alps and Prealps - and Ubaye (west);
• Maddalena Pass (which connects them with the Cottian Alps) and Stura di Demonte (north).

The main peaks of the Maritime Alps are:

The chief passes of the Maritime Alps are:

The French Mercantour National Park (central area:68,500 ha + peripheral area:140,000 ha)^[1] is part of the Maritime Alps as well as the Maritime Alps Natural Park, an Italian regional nature park of 28,455 ha.^[2]

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Coolidge, William Augustus Brevoort (1911). "Alps". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 741.

• Italian official cartography (Istituto Geografico Militare - IGM); on-line version: www.pcn.minambiente.it
• French official cartography (Institut Géographique National - IGN); on-line version: www.geoportail.fr