Gite Retrouvance de la Fruchière

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.