Refuge Adèle Planchard

Refuge Adèle Planchard is a high-altitude mountain hut (refuge de montagne) situated at 3,169 metres in the Écrins massif of the French Alps, at the foot of the Grande Ruine within the Écrins National Park. It is the highest hut in the Écrins that is accessible by trail. The refuge is owned and operated by the Société des touristes du Dauphiné (STD), a mountaineering club of around 250 members that organises collective outings in alpinism, climbing, ski touring and hiking, and which owns and manages five huts across the Dauphiné massifs: Le Soreiller, la Selle, A. Planchard, J. Collet and la Fare. The historic refuge was built in 1926 and inaugurated on 15 August 1927, funded by a 2,500-franc bequest made in February 1925 by Madame Adèle Planchard to the Société des touristes du Dauphiné for high-mountain works. Construction was entrusted to the Grenoble firm Bouchet-Viallet. A new refuge was built alongside the old one in 1981; the historic building no longer receives the public. During the guarded season the new refuge can accommodate 53 people, and outside the guarded period it can accommodate 26 people. The guarded season typically runs from early April to mid-May and from mid-June to mid-September, often depending on snow and weather conditions. For 2026 the refuge advertises a spring ski-touring season from 13 March to 4 May and a summer alpinism and hiking season from 6 June to 6 September. Outside these dates the winter refuge provides a 16-place dormitory, blankets, pillows, crocs, light and dishes, but no gas. Like most high-altitude huts in the Écrins, the refuge has no fixed water supply; water received by the guardian is meltwater or rainwater and is therefore non-mineralised. The refuge's primary function is to serve as a rescue point for alpinists delayed in the Grande Ruine massif. It supports ascents such as the pointe Brevoort (ski, mixed), the Tour Choisy (rock), Roche Méane (rock), the tour of the Meije (ski), the tour of the Grande Ruine (ski), and the La Selle / Châtelleret / Planchard / Écrins traverse (ski). Access is from the Pont d'Arsine in the commune of Villar-d'Arêne, following a marked trail up the left bank of the Romanche through the plan de l'Alpe to the sources of the Romanche, then the moraine of the glacier de la Plate des Agneaux and the Pierre à Jules; the hike takes about 5 to 6 hours, covers roughly 13 km and climbs about 1,500 m, and can be done without technical equipment once the snowfields have melted. Reservations are made by telephone or email, and the refuge maintains a Facebook page for news. The refuge's IBAN account is held under the name REFUGE ADELE PLANCHARD.

The refuge owes its existence to a bequest. In February 1925, by testament, Madame Adèle Planchard left the Société des touristes du Dauphiné (STD) a sum of 2,500 francs for the realisation of high-mountain works. At the site known as Campement Gravelotte, the STD had a refuge erected, inaugurated on 15 August 1927. The construction was entrusted to the Grenoble firm Bouchet-Viallet. The historic refuge still stands, but it no longer receives the public. A new refuge was built alongside it in 1981. In the 1960s, the Grenoble Université Club, founded in 1922, which had been conducting its summer ski training at the refuge, moved its activities to the glacier de Sarenne, which was integrated into the Alpe d'Huez ski area from 1963. The refuge is owned by the Société des touristes du Dauphiné, a mountaineering club of around 250 members that organises collective outings in alpinism, climbing, ski touring and hiking, trains leaders and introduces beginners to alpine practices. Its hut activity remains important: it owns and manages five huts in the different massifs of the Dauphiné — Le Soreiller, la Selle, A. Planchard, J. Collet and la Fare. The refuge sits on the adret (sunny slope) of the Grande Ruine, whose summit lies to the west, directly below the Jumeaux and the Clochers de l'Alpe to the north, adjoining the glacier Supérieur des Agneaux to the west and dominating the glacier de la Plate des Agneaux and the sources of the Romanche to the south-east, facing the pic de Neige Cordier to the south-east and the roche Faurio to the south. During the guarded period the new refuge can accommodate 53 people; outside the guarded period it can accommodate 26 people. The guarded period runs from early April to mid-May and from mid-June to mid-September, often depending on snow and weather conditions. For 2026 the refuge advertises a spring ski-touring season from 13 March to 4 May and a summer alpinism and hiking season from 6 June to 6 September. Outside these dates the winter refuge offers a 16-place dormitory, blankets, pillows, crocs, light and dishes, but no gas. Like most high-altitude huts in the Écrins, the refuge has no fixed water supply, hence the difficulty of obtaining water. In all cases the water received by the guardian is meltwater or rainwater, and therefore non-mineralised. The refuge's primary function is to serve as a rescue point for alpinists delayed in the Grande Ruine massif. Alpinists using the refuge may be engaged in the ascent of the pointe Brevoort (ski, mixed), the ascent of the Tour Choisy (rock), the ascent of Roche Méane (rock), the tour of the Meije (ski), the tour of the Grande Ruine (ski), and the La Selle / Châtelleret / Planchard / Écrins traverse (ski). Access is from the Pont d'Arsine, in the commune of Villar-d'Arêne, following the marked trail that goes up the course of the Romanche on the left bank. It winds through the plan de l'Alpe to the sources of the Romanche and then joins the moraine of the glacier de la Plate des Agneaux. It leaves the moraine to gain height at the Pierre à Jules. The refuge then appears above. This hike, first through alpine pastures and then in high mountain terrain, can be done without technical equipment once the snowfields have melted. It takes 5 to 6 hours of walking, covers about 13 km and climbs 1,500 m.

• 2026

  Advertised seasons: spring ski touring 13 March – 4 May; summer alpinism and hiking 6 June – 6 September.

• 1981

  A new refuge is built alongside the historic one.

• 1963

  The glacier de Sarenne, where the Grenoble Université Club moved its summer ski training in the 1960s, is integrated into the Alpe d'Huez ski area.

• 1927

  The refuge is inaugurated on 15 August at Campement Gravelotte; construction was entrusted to the Grenoble firm Bouchet-Viallet.

• 1926

  The historic refuge is built.

• 1925

  In February, by testament, Madame Adèle Planchard bequeaths 2,500 francs to the Société des touristes du Dauphiné for high-mountain works.

The highest hut in the Écrins accessible by trail, serving as a rescue point and base for alpinism and ski touring in the Grande Ruine massif.

• Guarded high-altitude hut accommodation (53 places)

• Winter refuge dormitory (16 places, blankets, pillows, crocs, light, dishes, no gas)

• Rescue point for alpinists in the Grande Ruine massif

• Base for ski touring and alpinism routes (pointe Brevoort, Tour Choisy, Roche Méane, tour of the Meije, tour of the Grande Ruine, La Selle / Châtelleret / Planchard / Écrins traverse)

1. 1Français / Accueil - Refuge Adèle Planchardrefuge-adele-planchard.com
2. 2Refuge Adèle Planchardwikidata.org
3. 3Refuge Adèle-Planchardfr.wikipedia.org