Col de Balme
high mountain pass of the Alps
The Col de Balme (2,195 m) is a high mountain pass of the Alps, located on the border between Switzerland and France. It connects Trient in the Swiss canton of Valais to Argentière in the French department of Haute-Savoie. The pass lies between the summits of Tête de Balme and Les Grandes Otanes.
The Col de Balme lies on the Tour du Mont Blanc walk. A restaurant is located above the summit of the pass.
“Col de Balme” enters the record as high mountain pass of the Alps. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Balme, high and mountain can confirm, complicate or overturn.
Why this record matters
“Col de Balme” is worth following because a concise public description often conceals a longer documentary argument. Here, Balme, high and mountain provides the most credible route into that argument.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jul 3, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q2982009. VIAF identifies the subject as 2630148574263824430003. Authority coordinates are 46.027, 6.969. 1 of 2 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
A single description cannot reconcile every naming convention, rebuilding phase or administrative transfer associated with a place. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Col de Balme”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Col de Balme primary sources, Col de Balme archive and Balme research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Col de Balme”?
- Which authority defined the place, boundary or structure at the relevant date?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Col de Balme” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.