Refuge du Rif Tort

Refuge du Rif Tort sits at 2,240m in the Hautes-Alpes, on the approach to the Écrins massif. The hut lies above the hamlet of Pelvoux, reached via the Vallée de la Durance. Most climbers arrive on foot from the village of Pelvoux in 2–2.5 hours, following a well-marked path that gains 600m steadily through larch forest then opens onto alpine pasture. The final approach crosses scree and grass slopes to the hut. Some parties also reach it as part of longer traverses linking the Vallée de la Durance to the Vallée du Vénéon.
The refuge is a straightforward mountain hut run by FFCAM, offering 30 beds in shared dormitories. Meals are standard refuge fare: hearty dinner and breakfast included with half-board; packed lunches available for onward routes. Water comes from a spring and relies on meltwater in early season, so July and August are most reliable. The hut operates mid-June to end September, though dates shift with snow cover. Facilities are basic: no shower, composting toilets, lighting by solar panels. The location makes it a practical base for ascents of Pic Poeyrerolles (2,639m), Gran Vignemale approaches, and traverses into the Écrins proper.
Book direct with the refuge by phone or email from May onwards. July and August fill quickly; aim for June bookings by late April. Weekend slots vanish first. The hut is quiet in June and September, when you'll find beds more readily. Phone ahead to confirm current opening dates and water availability—early season snow can force later opening.