“If I’m not a seasoned mountaineer, can I go to a refuge? Besides, I don’t know how it works…” No problem! Here are all the “keys” to life in a refuge.
Life in a mountain hut, a great shared accommodation!
The mountain hut is a mythical place for all mountain dwellers. Perched up there, it is both a symbol, mountain hut, meeting space, a open door to the high mountains, memories, emotions…
His vocation? Allow a stop, offer mountain hut, summer and winter, for hikers and mountaineers alike. This is where you can regain your strength while enjoying a magnificent setting in the heart of nature and out of time.
Refuge, we give you the keys
When you don't know, you can't guess...
To help you prepare your night in a mountain hut, we pass on to you the wise advice of the Écrins National Park. In a small humorous booklet, “Refuge, we give you the keys”, the field actors help you to better understand the mountain hut, how it works, the life of the guardian and, suddenly, the behaviors to adopt.
Tomorrow we go up to the mountain hut
Once you have chosen your destination on the page Mountain refuge, it is necessary book with the caretaker. By email, telephone or even with online payment for some! Reservation is essential for the organization of mountain hut and meals, just like preparing your mountain bag.
And yes, because to reach a refuge, you have to hike! So, don't hesitate to follow all our advice for preparing your hike on the page Prepared mountain outing = safety. You will also find everything you need to take for a night in a refuge.
An encounter at every step
With your bag ready and your entire tribe equipped, the climb to the refuge can begin. And it's a dating festival awaits you ! Butterflies, chamois, multicoloured flora, hikers, chough, park ranger, peaks or mountain hare and, finally, the refuge keeper… A whole world to approach with kindness and who will knit you a “soft scarf of memories…”.
After the effort comes comfort
After a nice walk that has tired your legs and amazed your eyes, you see it looming at the end of the path… The refuge is there. The only island of humanity in the heart of raw nature, it immediately inspires a feeling of comfort. You go straight to meet the keeper to announce your arrival. First of all, he makes sure that all his sheep of an evening arrive safely at his sheepfold. Your safety is his 1st priority. He will explain to you how the place works. before letting you soak up the surroundings.
Breathe, observe, enjoy!
Once settled into your mountain hut for the evening, you are totally disconnected from everyday life…And the fascination of the landscapes that surround you has not finished working on you until sunset. It's time for natural adventures for the kids, preparing for the next day's activity for dad and a little relaxation for mom. The refuge is a base camp that everyone can use as they wish..
Community life
So how does it work? We start with put down your bag and big shoes pooped. You will be able to choose the clogs of your favorite color and in a basket, you will put the things necessary for the night: change of clothes, toiletries, sleeping bag liner, headlamp, earplugs and little ones' comforters. In short, a place for everything and everything in its place, the caretaker being the great organizer of the place!
Water does not always flow from the source
Each refuge has its own water management according to its constraints. Classic toilets or dry toilets, we will give you the instructions to follow carefully, at altitude sanitation is a whole story! For the shower, when possible, its temperature will depend on the energy capacities of the day. In all cases, we save water as much as possible and sometimes only a cat bath will be possible.
Better to put it on the back burner
Electricity is produced autonomously, often solar, it necessarily depends on climatic hazards. The priority is therefore to refrigerators and all essential equipment. Mobile phones and others may have to wait…
A convivial evening
Ah… your memories of summer camps will tenderly resurface as soon as mealtime calls. We eat early in the mountain hut since we go to bed early. Some climbers can leave very early, as early as 2am… But in any case, you don’t look at your watch anymore once you’re up there. Let yourself be lulled by the rhythm of life imbued by the guardian, follow the little refrain that leads the roommates for the evening from mealtime to bedtime, including the evening.
The venerable helping hand
These moments of group life are shared from start to finish, so we give a hand as much as possible. As at home, the meal service, clearing away and washing up are done in a happy moment of exchanges. In the morning, we folds up his blanket and we leave everything tidy to make it easier for the caretaker to clean up once everyone is up. And ask him if he needs to bring anything back down, you never know!
Your Guardian Angel
You understood, the keeper is the master of the place, but not only from the mountain hut, but also from the surroundings of it. In the evening, he gives the weather for the next day, it provides information on the routes or terrain conditions, which is constantly evolving and he thus knows “who is where”, like that, in case of a problem, he will be able directing aid.
So he is a field relay for rescue services, but also for other mountain professionals: informant for the valley's meteorologists or observer for the National Park rangers.
All these good tips are taken from the book “Refuge, we give you the keys” edited by the Ecrins National Park.
Illustrations: Joël Valentin
Good reflexes in the mountains
Or how to protect nature and prepare yourself