{"id":76937,"date":"2023-08-23T09:43:56","date_gmt":"2023-08-23T07:43:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/centcols.org\/backup\/?page_id=76937"},"modified":"2023-08-23T09:48:27","modified_gmt":"2023-08-23T07:48:27","slug":"mollard","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/centcols.org\/backup\/en\/mollard\/","title":{"rendered":"The Col du Mollard"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Toponomy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In Col du Mollard (FR-73-1638<\/a>) the name of Mollard<\/em>, written historically molar<\/em> or molard<\/em>, is regularly found in the Alps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The toponym comes from the Latin molarum<\/em> that indicates a hamlet sited \u00ab on a mamelon \u2014 the rounded summit of a hill or mountain \u2014 or a small plateau \u00bb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NB<\/em> : <\/em>there are two<\/em> <\/em>C<\/em>ols du Mollard <\/em>in<\/em> Savoie, <\/em>the other<\/em> (<\/em>FR-73-1320b<\/em><\/a>), <\/em>an<\/em> R1, <\/em>sits in the north part of the<\/em> Chartreuse massif (<\/em>on th<\/em>e GR9).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Geographical location<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Massif<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Col du Mollard lies in the massif des Arves<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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View over the Aiguilles d\u2019Arves from the Col du Mollard (photo alpes4ever)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Geology<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Col du Mollard lies within the Plateau d\u2019Albiez that slopes roughly south to north. This provides a wide shelf untypical of this area. It comes first of all from a coomb that cuts into layers of marne lying horizontally and not folded. This coomb has been enlarged  by the Aiguilles d\u2019Arves glacier descending towards the north and then filled in by glacial alluvium. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Directly west, Mont Charvin draws our attention by the gaping wound of the Combe G\u00e9nin cut into the gypsum strata  and revealing a row of sharp pinnacles made of cargneule, a limestone rock markedly more resistant to erosion.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The pointes de cargneule
Photos taken from geol-alp.com<\/a> <\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Hydrography<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

To the north the Torrent du Merderel flows between Albiez le Vieux and Albiez le Jeune.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To the south, the waters flow towards the Rieu Gilbert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These two streams are tributaries of the Arvan (which flows into the Arc).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Administrative situation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The Col du Mollard is located in the commune of Albiez-Montrond (Savoie),Le Col du Mollard  est  situ\u00e9 sur la commune d\u2019Albiez-Montrond (Savoie),<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Le Col du Mollard  est  situ\u00e9 sur la commune d\u2019Albiez-Montrond (Savoie),<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Access and nearby cols<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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To the south <\/strong>the  D80 rejoins the Croix de Fer road \u2013 D526  (Saint Jean de Maurienne \u2013 Saint Sorlin d\u2019Arves) at the Belleville bridge (1228 m).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To the north<\/strong> the D80, goes through Albiez-le-Vieux, and after Albiez-le-Jeune descends the hairpin bends of of Villargondran to arrive in the Maurienne valley.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After Albiez-le-Vieux, the D110 gives access to the Arvan valley and Saint Jean de Maurienne via G\u00e9voudaz. This road was taken for the first time by the BRA (Brevet Randonneur des Alpes) in 1979, as a climb (St Jean de Maurienne \u2013 G\u00e9voudaz \u2013Albiez).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This road crosses two cols included in the catalogue of the Club des Cent Cols:
La Cochette (FR-73-1355<\/a>)  and   Le Collet (FR-73-1150<\/a>)
For the \u00ab purists \u00bb, note that \u2013 even if it is said to lie on the D110 in the CCC catalogue \u2013 La Cochette is slightly to the north of the D110, in nthe centre of the hamlet of the same name (voir CCWay \u2013 Google Earth).<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Things to see <\/h2>\n\n\n\n