About
Cabane des Roudons (basse) sits at 2,615m in the Ecrins massif, east of Vallouise in the Hautes-Alpes. The hut serves as a staging point for ascents of Pic de la Cabre and Pic Coolidge, and lies on the GR54 trekking route. Access is a 2.5-hour walk from the Pré de Madame Carle roadhead, following the Glacier Blanc trail. The path gains 600m steadily through larch forest then alpine meadow. Most parties approach via the lower (basse) cabin first, which sits below the main refuge higher up the valley.
The hut is unguarded and operates on an honesty system. It provides basic shelter with sleeping capacity for around 15 people on wooden bunks. There is no water supply on site—melt from nearby snow patches is seasonal. You must bring a stove and fuel; no meals are provided. The cabin is open from late June to late September, weather permitting. Winter access is unreliable and requires serious alpine skills.
Book the hut via the FFCAM (Fédération Française des Clubs Alpins et de Montagne) Vallouise section or contact local mountain guides in Pelvoux. No phone or email service operates at the cabin. Arrive with sleeping bag, food, water bottle, and headtorch. July and August weekends fill quickly; visit mid-week or shoulder season (June, early September) for more certainty.
The hut is unguarded and operates on an honesty system. It provides basic shelter with sleeping capacity for around 15 people on wooden bunks. There is no water supply on site—melt from nearby snow patches is seasonal. You must bring a stove and fuel; no meals are provided. The cabin is open from late June to late September, weather permitting. Winter access is unreliable and requires serious alpine skills.
Book the hut via the FFCAM (Fédération Française des Clubs Alpins et de Montagne) Vallouise section or contact local mountain guides in Pelvoux. No phone or email service operates at the cabin. Arrive with sleeping bag, food, water bottle, and headtorch. July and August weekends fill quickly; visit mid-week or shoulder season (June, early September) for more certainty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Book 2–3 months ahead for July and August; earlier booking gives better bed choice but the hut rarely turns people away mid-week outside peak season.
The basse cabin is staffed June through September, though exact dates depend on snow conditions and staffing.
Start from Pré de Madame Carle roadhead and follow the Glacier Blanc trail for 2.5 hours (600m elevation gain) through larch forest and alpine meadow to reach the lower cabin at 2,615m.
Expect basic dormitory beds, a stove for warmth, and evening meals cooked by the guardian; most visitors bring their own food or rely on the hut's simple menu.
Yes—the approach is steady and non-technical, making it good for walkers acclimatizing before Alpine peaks, though altitude and the rock terrain above demand prior hillwalking experience for mountaineering objectives.
Location
45.0024, 5.9858
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2.6
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