This paper analyzes the kinematic evolution and the deformation partitioning within an important transpressive fault zone located in the central part of the Alpine chain. The North Giudicarie line is a NNE trending fault which offsets the dextral Insubric line with an apparent left-lateral displacement of about 70 km. The main fault plane of the North Giudicarie line dips about 35¿--45¿ to the NW. The footwall is characterized by N-S striking strike-slip faults, which reactivate extensional faults of Early Jurassic to Late Cretaceous age. The early deformation history of the North Giudicarie line is revealed by basement- and limestone-mylonites. Shear sense of mylonites indicates on average top-to-the-east thrusting. These movements took place during the late Oligocene-early Miocene, when the Insubric line was active as a right-lateral strike-slip fault. Therefore, in this time span the North Giudicarie line can be interpreted as a dextral transpressive bend of the Insubric line. Mylonites have later been overprinted by brittle faults related to top-to-the-SE thrusting of middle-late Miocene age. During this event the shape of the Insubric line was strongly modified by left-lateral transpression along the Giudicarie fault zone. Deformation was partitioned between prevailing compression along the Giudicarie line and left-lateral strike-slip movements along the N-S striking faults. These faults transferred the strike-slip component of the Giudicarie line into a wider area of the central southern Alps. ¿ 1998 American Geophysical Union