Meije

Meije is a mountainous solid mass belonging to the basin of the Oisans, in north-western edge of the Massif of the Jewel cases. It is located at the limit of the departments of the Hautes-Alpes and the Isere.

It is composed of three principal tops: the culminating point, the Large Peak of Meije to 3983 meters, second major top of the Jewel cases after the Bar of the Jewel cases (4102 meters), the Finger of God or Central Peak of Meije (3973 meters), overhanging the Southern slope and Meije Eastern, large snow-covered shoulder.

The first rise of the Large Peak was carried out on August 16th, 1877 by Emmanuel Boileau de Castelnau with Pierre Gaspard and wire; it follows the edge of the headland opposite south, i.e. the “normal” way. The Large Peak is one of the most difficult tops of the Alps because there does not exist “easy” route.

In 1891, J. - H. Gibson, U. Almer and F. Boss made the first crossing of the edges (in the west-east direction).

Etymology

Meije comes from miègjorn which in Provençal means " midi" and the south indicates. The inhabitants of the Low register (1500 meters) were thus accustomed to indicating this mountain, located at the south of their village, the oeille of the meidjour (the needle of midday). The denomination of “Meije” thus comes from what the sun passes to the top of the mountain when it is midday. Thus the inhabitants of Chamonix named two buttresses of the Massif of Mont Blanc according to the position of the sun during the day: the Needle of the South (3842 meters) and the Needle of Tasting (3816 meters).

This name patois was francized during the revisions of 1832 and 1866. Its first name, mentioned as of 1712, was the point Malaval . The name remained besides to indicate the valley of the Romanche, downwards: it is Combe de Malaval, dominated of more than 1000 meters by the plate of Emparis in north, and more than 2000 meters by the Dome of the Roofing stone in the south.

Tourism

By extension, one calls “the small valleys of Meije” skiable the original field of the village of the Low register (1450 meters - 3560 meters), of which routes of descent, located completely in out-track and nonprotected, to the foot glaciers of Meije and Râteau pass. A cable car, built in 1976 - 1977, makes it possible to reach the altitude of 3200 meters in edge of the Glacier of Girose. From there, two Téléski S join, on the glacier, the Dome of the Roofing stone (3560 meters), where the two only rammed and made safe tracks are field. The field of the Low register is thus the second higher skiable field of France after Chamonix (the White Valley, since the needle of the South, 3840 meters).

Access roads

Large Peak of Meije:

Normal Way and Crossing of the Edges (D - mainly rock)
Corridor in Z (D+ - ice)
Gravelotte Corridor (IV - D+ - ice with 50/55°) First rise E. Gravelotte with Mr. Gaspard, C and D Gaspard and J Turkish on September 24th, 1898.
Corridor of the Corridors (D - ice)
direct Northern Face (TD - rock)
direct Southern Face, way Allain Leininger

Eastern Meije:

Normal Way

Finger of God:

Normal Way

Access

Two refuges give access the various tops of Meije:

the refuge of the Headland (3082 meters), located at the base of the edge of the Headland, and which gives access the ways of the southern face;
the refuge of the Eagle (3450 meters) built on the top of the glacier of Tabuchet, giving access the northern face and the less difficult routes of the Finger of God and Meije Eastern.

Photographs

Random links: