Gite Retrouvance de la Fruchière

2.4

Gîte Retrouvance de la Fruchière

Alpes-Maritimes, France Write a review

About

Gîte Retrouvance de la Fruchière sits at 1,450m in the Alpes-Maritimes, deep in the Mercantour massif. Access is from the village of Saint-Martin-Vésubie via the Madone de Fenestre road and then on foot. The walk to the gîte takes roughly 2.5 to 3 hours depending on your pace and starting point. This is a working mountain shelter in genuine backcountry, not a staffed alpine hut. The approach rewards hikers heading into the Mercantour National Park or tackling routes toward the Lacs de Jgeografia or Baisse de la Vallette.
The gîte sleeps 12 people in basic but clean shared dormitory beds. Water comes from the spring. You cook your own meals using the kitchen facilities—bring your own food and stove fuel or use the wood-burning stove. Solar panels provide limited electricity. This is a refuge hut in the true sense: shelter and a warm stove, nothing more. The season runs roughly June through September, though exact dates depend on snow conditions and maintenance. Check current status before heading out.
Contact the Mercantour National Park or Saint-Martin-Vésubie's tourist office for current opening dates and access conditions. Book well ahead if you're going mid-July to August. Arrive with supplies. Phone signal is unreliable; communication with the guardian is best arranged before you leave the valley.

Frequently Asked Questions

Contact the gîte directly 2–3 months ahead, especially for July and August; it's small (12 beds) and fills quickly.
Open June to September; it's unmanned outside this period, so confirm availability before you go.
Drive to Saint-Martin-Vésubie, take the Madone de Fenestre road, then hike 2.5–3 hours on foot to the gîte at 1,450m.
It's a basic mountain shelter with beds and a kitchen; bring your own food or arrange meals in advance—no restaurant service.
No; the 2.5–3 hour approach and remote backcountry setting suit experienced hikers only, not beginners or families.

Location

44.1508, 6.6716
Directions OpenStreetMap

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Don't forget to book

This hut takes bookings direct, so beds go to whoever asks first. Tell us your dates and we'll email you when it's time to reserve — with the hut's contact details.

We can't watch this hut's availability — it books direct. Give us your arrival date and we'll email you when it's time to get in touch, with the hut's phone and email.

Independent of the hut and its alpine club. We never book or hold beds — the reminder just tells you when to get in touch, with the hut's own contact details.

HutLists Score

2.4
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Quick Facts

Managing club
private
Total
12

Facilities

Meals served

Contact & Booking

Website
https://gitesetrandonnees.onf.fr/gite/gite-retrouvance-fruchiere/

Activities

Hiking

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