Rifugio Stellina

Rifugio Stellina sits at 2,595m in the Savoie Alps, accessed from the Val d'Isère valley. The approach takes 3–4 hours on foot from Champagny-en-Vanoise, following marked trails through larch forest before opening onto high alpine meadows. The hut sits within the Parc National de la Vanoise, making it a solid base for traverses across the park's core ridgelines and for summits including Mont Pourri and Pointe de la Réchasse. Winter access is possible but requires good snow-reading skills and avalanche awareness.
The rifugio is a small, no-frills mountain shelter with 25 beds in shared rooms. Full meals are served daily when staffed, with simple Italian-Alpine fare. There's no electricity beyond occasional generator use, and water comes from a reliable spring. Toilets are outside. The season runs June through September reliably, with shoulder-season access possible in May and early October depending on conditions. The hut's isolation and modest facilities suit self-sufficient walkers over tourists seeking comfort.
Book by phone directly with the hut keeper well ahead during summer months—July and August fill by mid-June. Staffing can be irregular in shoulder seasons, so confirm your intended dates before planning. Half-board (bed and dinner/breakfast) is standard. Come prepared for cold nights even in summer: nights below freezing are common above 2,500m.