Le Chalet d'la Croë, a refuge at 2,076 m below the Aiguilles d'Arves

At 2,076 metres, below the Aiguilles d'Arves, Le Chalet d'la Croë is a private mountain refuge renovated in 2013. You climb up there for a crêpe halfway through a walk, for a raclette, or to sleep in a dome under the alpine night sky.

Where and when

The refuge stands in the commune of Albiez-Montrond, in the Maurienne valley, at the foot of the Aiguilles d'Arves.

Stopping to eat

That is the main reason to go up if you are out for the day. A crêpe or a raclette halfway through a walk changes the outing entirely — and at that altitude, in the high pastures, the setting does the rest.

The refuge works entirely off-grid and largely with home-made local produce. It is a constraint they have chosen, and it shows on the plate.

Sleeping in a dome

Accommodation is outdoors, in geodesic domes, for one night or more. It is what sets the place apart: full immersion in the mountain night sky, without the constraints of a bivouac.

For a multi-day walk, it is a stage that shapes the itinerary: you climb on day one, sleep high, and set off early the next morning.

The atmosphere of the high pastures

Cowbells give the summer pastures their life — that is the constant soundtrack of the season, and the setting in which the refuge serves its food and puts up its guests.

Getting there

The refuge is reached on foot, from the sector's trails. The usual approaches go via the Chalmieu hamlet and the Montrond plateau — the same sector as the climb to the Basse du Gerbier described in our article on the Aiguilles d'Arves.

Plan on checking opening hours and booking before setting off, especially for a night in a dome: a private refuge has limited capacity, and the season is short.

The rest of the trails

The six waymarked routes from the village and the Mollard — shorter and more accessible — are set out in our guide to walking in Albiez.