Refuge du Pavé

Refuge du Pavé is a mountain refuge (hut) in the Écrins massif of the French Alps, located at an altitude of 2,841 m at the foot of the Pavé and Pic Gaspard, beside the Lac du Pavé. It is operated by the Fédération Française des Clubs Alpins et de Montagne (FFCAM), France's national alpine club federation, which maintains a network of staffed and unstaffed mountain refuges. The refuge sits in the commune of Villar-d'Arêne in the Hautes-Alpes department, in the Romanche valley, and is reached by roughly a four-hour ascent with about 1,150 m of elevation gain from the Pied du Col. It is regarded as a mid-point between straightforward hiking terrain and the beginning of high-mountain routes, surrounded by three major walls: the Pic Gaspard, the Pavé, and further off the Meije. The original refuge was destroyed by an avalanche; a replacement built in 1970 was itself destroyed by an avalanche in its first winter. As a temporary solution, the construction workers' barracks from that project were converted into a rustic refuge, offering spartan comfort between metal sheets — no running water, no heating, no telephone network, and only rare electricity. It was relatively small, with 26 beds in a single dormitory. After decades of patching to keep the place usable, construction of a new 195 m² refuge slightly higher than the previous one began in 2022, with opening planned two years later. Avalanche risk drove the choice of the new site; the FFCAM noted that the refuge would be partly buried. The new refuge became operational in June 2024, with its official inauguration on 27 August, and capacity increased from 26 to 30 places. The refuge is staffed seasonally: in winter from mid-March to early May, and in summer from mid-June to mid-September. Outside these guarded periods, like other FFCAM refuges, it keeps a portion accessible and open as a "winter refuge" to serve as shelter and rescue point. The current guardian is Pauline Muller. Reservations are recommended during unguarded periods to manage over-visitation. The unguarded refuge offers a 16-place dormitory with blankets, basic cooking utensils, and a wood reserve, with visitors asked to be self-sufficient for gas and to help maintain the building. The refuge is listed among the FFCAM's "Refuges Phares pour l'environnement" (flagship environmental refuges).

The Refuge du Pavé is a mountain refuge in the Écrins massif of the French Alps, at 2,841 m altitude at the foot of the Pavé and Pic Gaspard, beside the Lac du Pavé. It is operated by the Fédération Française des Clubs Alpins et de Montagne (FFCAM). Access is about four hours with 1,150 m of elevation gain from the Pied du Col, in the commune of Villar-d'Arêne. The refuge is considered to sit midway between the end of hikes "without particular difficulty" and the start of high mountain terrain, with the attendant climatic hazards. It is surrounded by three walls: the Pic Gaspard, the Pavé, and further away the Meije. The original refuge was destroyed by an avalanche. A new one was built in 1970, but it too was destroyed by an avalanche in the very first winter. As a temporary solution, the construction workers' barracks from that project were converted into a rustic refuge, offering spartan comfort between metal sheets: no running water, no heating, no telephone network, and rare electricity. It was relatively small, with 26 beds in a single dormitory. After decades of "patching up" to try to keep the place in condition, construction of a new 195 m² refuge, slightly higher than the previous one, began in 2022, for an opening planned two years later. Avalanche risk conditioned the choice of the new location; "the refuge will be partly buried," the FFCAM stated. The new refuge became operational in June 2024, though its official inauguration took place on 27 August. It went from 26 to 30 places. The refuge is guarded seasonally: in winter from mid-March to early May, and in summer from mid-June to mid-September. The current guardian is Pauline Muller. Outside guarded periods, like all FFCAM refuges, it keeps an accessible and open portion, the "winter refuge," to play its role as shelter and rescue point. Reservations are recommended during this period to address over-visitation. The unguarded refuge offers a 16-place dormitory with blankets, some cutlery and plates, a saucepan, and a wood reserve inside and in front of the building; visitors are asked to be self-sufficient for gas and to help restock wood. The refuge is listed among the FFCAM's "Refuges Phares pour l'environnement" (flagship environmental refuges).

• 2024

  The new refuge became operational in June; official inauguration took place on 27 August; capacity increased from 26 to 30 places.

• 2022

  Construction of a new 195 m² refuge, slightly higher than the previous one, began, with opening planned two years later.

• 1970

  A new refuge was built after the original was destroyed by an avalanche, but it was itself destroyed by an avalanche in the first winter.

A high-altitude FFCAM mountain refuge in the Écrins, positioned between hiking and high-mountain terrain, and a flagship environmental refuge.

• Guarded refuge accommodation

  Seasonal guarded periods: winter from mid-March to early May, summer from mid-June to mid-September.

• Unguarded winter refuge

  Accessible and open portion outside guarded periods, with a 16-place dormitory, blankets, basic cooking utensils, and wood reserve.

• New 195 m² refuge (2024)

  Partly buried due to avalanche risk, with 30 places.

1. 1Accueil, Refuge du Lac du Pavérefugedupave.ffcam.fr
2. 2Refuge du Pavéwikidata.org
3. 3Refuge du Pavéfr.wikipedia.org