Refuge du Châtelleret

The Refuge du Châtelleret is a mountain hut (refuge de montagne) in the French Alps, situated in the Écrins massif within the commune of Saint-Christophe-en-Oisans, between La Bérarde and the Refuge du Promontoire. It stands at an altitude of 2,225 metres, overlooking the south face of La Meije, along the torrent des Étançons and at the foot of the Meije and the Râteau. The hut lies inside the Écrins National Park and is a key staging point for alpinism and high-mountain hiking in the Oisans-Vénéon sector. The refuge is managed by the Comité départemental de l'Isère, a local committee of the Fédération Française des Clubs Alpins et de Montagne (FFCAM), France's national federation of alpine and mountain clubs. The FFCAM operates a network of mountain huts across the French Alps and Pyrenees, and the Refuge du Châtelleret is one of its branded refuges, with its own official website under the ff cam.fr domain. The hut offers seasonal guardian services (gardiennage) and is a departure point for numerous summer alpine routes, including the Têtes Nord and Sud du Replat to the west and the Pic Nord des Cavales and Pointe des Aigles to the east. In winter and spring it serves ski touring, with access to the Col de la Casse Déserte and the Col du Pavé. The site has historical significance: it was built on the very spot where Pierre Gaspard bivouacked during the first ascent of La Meije in 1877. In the night of 29–30 July 2023, the refuge was struck on its right flank by a debris flow (lave torrentielle) caused by an exceptionally heavy storm. The water capture and supply system was damaged and other structures were affected, leading to closure for an indefinite period. As of a notice dated 19 December 2025 on the official website, the refuge is closed and inaccessible. The hut remains a recognised name in French mountaineering and a listed refuge of the Alps.

The Refuge du Châtelleret is built on the exact spot where Pierre Gaspard bivouacked during the first ascent of La Meije in 1877, a landmark event in French alpinism. The hut takes its name from the locality, sometimes glossed as 'le Petit Château' (the little castle). It is located in the Écrins massif, in the commune of Saint-Christophe-en-Oisans, between La Bérarde and the Refuge du Promontoire, along the torrent des Étançons and below the south face of La Meije. The refuge sits at 2,225 metres inside the Écrins National Park. The hut is managed by the Comité départemental de l'Isère, the Isère departmental committee of the Fédération Française des Clubs Alpins et de Montagne (FFCAM). As an FFCAM refuge, it operates under the federation's hut network and branding, with its own official website. It provides seasonal guardian services and is a base for summer alpinism and winter ski touring. From La Bérarde, the ascent to the hut involves 510 metres of elevation gain and about two hours of walking. In summer, the refuge is a starting point for many alpine routes: to the west, the Têtes Nord (3,342 m) and Sud (3,428 m) du Replat; to the east, the Pic Nord des Cavales (3,362 m), the Pointe des Aigles (3,335 m) and others. For high-mountain hiking, it connects with the Refuge de la Selle via the Col du Replat or the Brèche du Râteau. In winter and until spring, it is open for ski touring, with access notably to the Col de la Casse Déserte (3,483 m) and the Col du Pavé (3,554 m). On the night of 29–30 July 2023, the refuge was struck on its right flank by a lave torrentielle (debris flow) triggered by a particularly severe storm. The water capture and supply system was damaged, along with other structures, and the refuge was closed for an indefinite period. A notice dated 19 December 2025 on the official website states that the Refuge du Chatelleret is closed and inaccessible. The hut remains listed among the refuges of the Alps and is documented on platforms such as camptocamp.org.

• 2025

  Official notice dated 19 December states the refuge is closed and inaccessible.

• 2023

  In the night of 29–30 July, the refuge is hit by a debris flow and closed indefinitely.

• 1877

  Pierre Gaspard bivouacks on the site during the first ascent of La Meije.

A historic FFCAM mountain refuge in the Écrins National Park, serving alpinists and ski tourers on La Meije and surrounding peaks.

• Mountain hut accommodation and guardianship

  Seasonal guardian services at 2,225 m, with dormitory-style accommodation typical of FFCAM refuges.

• Alpine route access

  Base for routes to Têtes du Replat, Pic Nord des Cavales, Pointe des Aigles and other Écrins objectives.

• Ski touring base

  Winter and spring access to Col de la Casse Déserte and Col du Pavé.

1. 1Accueil, Refuge du Chatelleretrefugechatelleret.ffcam.fr
2. 2Refuge du Chatelleretwikidata.org
3. 3Refuge du Châtelleretfr.wikipedia.org