Cabin de Viraysse

Cabane de Viraysse sits at 2,279m in the Mercantour massif, roughly 2 hours' walk from the Lac de Sainte-Anne trailhead. The approach follows a well-marked path gaining 600m through alpine meadow and rock. This is genuine mountain terrain—bring a map and know how to read it. Weather changes fast above 2,000m, and the final section crosses loose scree where a stumble matters.
The cabin is basic mountain shelter rather than staffed refuge. It sleeps around 10–15 people on foam mats in communal dormitory space. There's no guardian, no meals, no hot water. You bring everything: food, fuel for the stove, a sleeping bag rated to -5°C minimum. Water comes from a spring near the hut (check it's flowing in late summer). The cabin has a basic roof, walls, and a cast-iron stove—enough to keep you alive if weather turns, not enough to be comfortable without proper kit.
This is a FFCAM-maintained facility, free to use. Register your visit in the logbook. Arrive with daylight to spare and bring a headtorch. Solo trips are possible but unwise—go with partners who know mountain safety. The hut works best as a base for climbs into the high Mercantour (Cime du Gélas, Mont Ténibre) rather than as a casual overnight. Winter access is serious mountaineering only. Summer is June to September; snow lingers into July in bad years.