Refuge de Loriaz

Refuge de Loriaz sits at 2,020m in the Valais, serving hikers on routes through the Giffre Valley and approaches to the Mont-Blanc massif. The hut is reached from Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval (France side) via a 4-hour hike gaining 800m. Most climbers access it from Switzerland via the Vallée Verte and Col de Joux Plane, a 2–3 hour push from the Sixt valley trailhead. The setting works best as a staging point for Mont-Blanc approaches or circuits crossing into the Chamonix valley.
The refuge operates year-round and has 49 beds split across dormitory rooms. Half-board (dinner and breakfast) is standard. Kitchen facilities are available if you bring supplies. Water comes from a mountain stream. The hut is run by the Valais section of the Swiss Alpine Club (CAS) and sits on the Chamonix-Zermatt hiking route, so expect a steady flow of walkers during summer months.
Book by email or phone 3–4 months in advance for July and August. July weekends fill completely. The hut opens for winter but confirm conditions before attempting access in snow—the Col de Joux Plane can be impassable. Contact them directly for current availability and rates, which vary by season.