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The French Alps Why: Conquering the storied HC (hors catégorie) climbs and cols of the French Alps provides the ultimate cycling bragging rights.—Jen Murphy, Outside Online, 13 May 2025 The sky was just getting light as the group put on their skis and headed for the Cabane des Vignettes—another alpine refuge, about six hours away, across high-alpine terrain filled with glaciers, cols, peaks, and magnificent slopes of unbroken snow.—Outside, 20 Sep. 2024 The highest point of the trail is at 3,008 feet, on a viewless col (the lowest point between peaks) off of Blue Mountain.—Jessica McKenzie, National Geographic, 16 Nov. 2020
Word History
Etymology
French, from Middle French, neck, from Latin collum