The Italian Alps are a mountain range located in northern Italy, stretching from the French border to the Adriatic Sea. The highest peak is Monte Bianco, also known as Mont Blanc, which stands at 4, 810 meters. The term 'Italian Alps' is often used to refer to the entire mountain range, but it can also refer to the western part of the range, which includes the provinces of Aosta Valley, Piedmont, Lombardy, and Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol. The answer to the crossword puzzle is MONTE, which is the Italian word for mountain.