Refuge des Fontanettes

Refuge des Fontanettes sits at 2,498m in the Chaîne du Reposoir, above the Vallée de l'Arve in Haute-Savoie. Reach it from the village of Entremont in roughly 4 hours on foot, following the GR trail that climbs steadily through forest then alpine meadow. The approach is direct and well-marked. Summer access is straightforward; winter approaches are snow-dependent and require experience.

The refuge is a small, traditional hut with capacity for around 30 people. Half-board (dinner and breakfast) is standard, with a basic evening meal and morning coffee before you leave. Facilities include basic dormitory sleeping, running water, and toilet blocks. The hut operates from late June through September, depending on snow conditions and staffing. It functions primarily as a walker's base rather than a mountaineer's lodge, though the surrounding terrain offers scrambling and ridge walking for competent hikers.

Book directly by phone 4-6 weeks ahead for July and August. July weekends and early August fill quickly. Off-season (June and September) has fewer restrictions. The hut staff can also advise on weather, route conditions, and extensions into the Chaîne du Reposoir or toward the Chaîne de la Tournette. Phone ahead to confirm opening dates each year, as spring snow melt timing varies.