Refuge Évariste Chancel

Refuge Évariste Chancel sits at 2,508m in the Hautes-Alpes, on the edge of Parc National des Écrins. It's a working base for climbers and hikers tackling the higher peaks around Mont Pelvoux and the Barre des Écrins massif. Access is via the Vallouise valley. The approach takes roughly 4 hours from Ailefroide on foot, gaining 1,000m through steep terrain and scree slopes. Horse transport is available for heavy loads in summer. Winter access is complex and requires mountaineering experience.
The refuge holds around 60 people in dorm rooms. Half-board (dinner and breakfast) is mandatory—the kitchen serves hearty mountain food cooked on-site. Hot showers and flush toilets function year-round. There's no mobile signal or WiFi; you'll be offline. The hut operates mid-June through mid-September, with a spring opening in May for experienced parties. A full-time guardian is present during the main season. This is an FFCAM-affiliated hut run to high standards.
Book by early June for July and August. Contact the hut directly by phone or post a reservation through alpine-huts.com. Saturday nights fill weeks in advance. The hut is quiet mid-week. Arrive early if you're climbing Mont Pelvoux the next day—the refuge fills with 4am wake-up calls and an orderly queue at the stove.