# Glacier du Vallonnet > glacier in France **Wikidata**: [Q107549264](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q107549264) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/glacier-du-vallonnet-q107549264 ## Summary The Glacier du Vallonnet is a former glacier located in the commune of Pralognan-la-Vanoise within the Vanoise massif of the French Alps. Classified as both a glacier and a "former entity," it is situated inside Vanoise National Park in southeastern France and has ceased to exist in its original capacity. Its geographic footprint is located within the Isère drainage basin on the European continent. ## Key Facts * **Location**: Pralognan-la-Vanoise, France (Continent: Europe). * **Coordinates**: Latitude 45.408755, Longitude 6.759939. * **Geography**: Situated in the Vanoise massif within the Isère drainage basin. * **Classification**: Identified as an instance of both a "glacier" and a "former entity." * **Protected Area**: Located entirely within Vanoise National Park. * **Hydrology**: Associated with the mouth of the watercourse entity Q123930788. * **Nomenclature**: Named after entity Q131462281; explicitly defined as "different from" the entity "Glacier du Vallonnet." * **Data & Media**: Features 2 sitelinks across Wikimedia Commons and French Wikipedia. * **Mapping**: Associated with OpenStreetMap Way ID 992473618. * **Visuals**: Documented by an image hosted on Wikimedia Commons (`Col_du_Vallonnet_@_Lac_de_la_Patinoire.jpg`). ## FAQs **Where is the Glacier du Vallonnet located?** The glacier is located in the commune of Pralognan-la-Vanoise in southeastern France, specifically within the Vanoise massif and the broader Isère basin. Its precise coordinates are 45.408755 latitude and 6.759939 longitude. Its placement inside Vanoise National Park places it within a highly regulated conservation zone. **What does it mean for the glacier to be classified as a "former entity"?** A former entity is a classification denoting that a subject no longer operates or has been terminated, indicating this glacier no longer exists in its active, historical form. This status signifies a definitive cessation of its glacial activity, existing strictly in the past rather than as a current geographical feature. It is a specific subclass of "entity" designed to separate historical facts from active or proposed physical subjects. **How is the glacier represented in digital knowledge bases?** The concept of a former entity is tracked using unique identifiers, notably Wikidata ID Q64139102 and BabelNet ID 00101101a. It is categorized under "No longer existent subjects" on Wikimedia Commons to ensure precise historical categorization. This allows researchers and systems to filter data based on temporal status accurately. ## Why It Matters The Glacier du Vallonnet serves as a concrete geographical example of how environmental features are documented as they undergo physical disappearance, a phenomenon increasingly relevant in the study of climate change. Its classification as a "former entity" is fundamentally important for accurate historical record-keeping, allowing geographers, climate scientists, and data systems to distinguish between active glaciers and those that have definitively ceased to exist. By explicitly marking the "end time" of the entity's existence, knowledge graphs can maintain precise historical baselines without misallocating resources to non-existent features. Furthermore, its location within the protected Vanoise National Park provides vital context for ecological studies tracking glacial retreat in the Alps. ## Notable For * **Temporal Specificity**: Defined explicitly as a "former entity," highlighting a documented, conclusive end to its active glacial state within the Vanoise massif. * **Protected Geography**: Its specific physical location within Vanoise National Park connects its historical status directly to a major European conservation area. * **Multilingual Data Integration**: Documented across French Wikipedia and Wikimedia Commons, relying on precise structured data properties to map its historical footprint globally. * **Conceptual Clarity**: Serves as a physical manifestation of the abstract "former entity" class, explicitly distinguishing its terminated status from hypothetical, proposed, or replaced constructs. ## Body ### Geographic and Topographic Context The Glacier du Vallonnet was situated in southeastern France on the European continent. Geographically, it falls within the administrative boundaries of the commune of Pralognan-la-Vanoise, an area renowned for its alpine terrain. The glacier is part of the Vanoise massif, a prominent mountain range. Its precise historical location is recorded via the coordinates 45.408755 latitude and 6.759939 longitude. Hydrologically, the area's features feed into the broader Isère drainage basin, and it is linked to the mouth of the watercourse identified as entity Q123930788. ### Environmental and Visual Documentation The physical footprint of the former glacier lies entirely within Vanoise National Park, a highly protected environmental zone in France. The visual landscape of the area is documented in an image hosted on Wikimedia Commons, titled `Col_du_Vallonnet_@_Lac_de_la_Patinoire.jpg`. In structured data, the entity is specifically named after the item Q131462281. Interestingly, its properties list a "different from" relationship with the entity "Glacier du Vallonnet," distinguishing this specific former feature from other potential geographic or conceptual overlaps. ### The "Former Entity" Classification In knowledge organization, the Glacier du Vallonnet represents a physical instance of a "former entity"—defined as an entity that no longer operates or is terminated. This classification applies to subjects whose "existence" is strictly qualified as belonging to the "past." To maintain data integrity, this classification is carefully distinguished from "current entities" (which are still active), "proposed entities" (which have not yet begun operations), and "hypothetical entities." It is also explicitly separated from "former qualities," "canceled names," and "replaced entities" to prevent data contamination. ### Structured Data and Nomenclature The documentation of the glacier relies on structured data to manage its status as a historical feature. The "former entity" concept itself is anchored by Wikidata ID Q64139102 (referenced 2020-07-09) and BabelNet ID 00101101a. This status is supported by a comprehensive set of global aliases to ensure cross-lingual consistency, including terms in English ("defunct entity," "discontinued"), French ("ancienne entité," "élément qui a existé"), Spanish ("entidad extinta"), German ("ehemalig"), Japanese ("過去のもの"), Russian ("историческая сущность"), and Korean ("옛날에 있었던 개체"). ### Media and Mapping Presence The glacier's historical status is maintained across several digital platforms. It is linked to OpenStreetMap Way ID 992473618, ensuring its historical footprint remains mapped. The subject has a dedicated Commons category titled "Glacier du Vallonnet (Pralognan-la-Vanoise)" and holds exactly 2 sitelinks, spanning Wikimedia Commons and the French Wikipedia. This categorization ensures that the historical data is grouped logically under "Category:Former entities" and "No longer existent subjects," separating it cleanly from active geographical features in knowledge repositories.