The Gran Paradiso mountain, elevation 4,061 m (13,323 ft), is situated in the western Alps, in the north of Italy, close to the border with France.
The summit was first reached on september 4, 1860 by J.J. Cowell, W. Dundas, J. Payot and J. Tairraz. Today it is generally considered an easy climb, except for the last 60 metres to the summit. Climbs normally start from either the Rifugio Chabod or the Rifugio Vittorio Emanuele. The latter is named after Vittorio Emanuele II of Italy who created the Gran Paradiso royal reserve in 1856.