Refuge d’Argentière

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© GEOPORTAIL

Organized one day hike. Starting with the first cable car at 7.30 am at the Grands Montets. Picnic at the refuge. This long hike down of about 7 km could make your thighs hurt the next day for the least trained! Do not forget your sticks!

One can also get to the Argentière refuge in a day round-trip from the mid-point station of Croix de Lognan (3h30 of climbing from Croix de Lognan to the refuge and then 2h30 to go back down).

Take advantage of the panoramic indicator and the 360° view once you get to the arrival station of the Grands-Montets before getting equipped at the bottom of the metal stairs.

The hike starts on a steep downhill slope and continues to cross the Rognons glacier from the Col des Grands Montets.

At the foot of the Argentière glacier, the guide will make you remove the crampons or not to progress across this portion of the glacier which is not too steep. You reach the moraine opposite, on the right bank of the glacier. From there, an uphill trail (a little hard for an end of morning hike) leads to the Argentière refuge where one can picnic. On the roof of the shelter nestled in granite, a motorcycle was dropped by a helicopter, the keeper being an enthusiast.

Enjoy the view on the peaks, on the left bank of the glacier “Les Courtes, Les Droites, La Verte” and on the right bank “Aiguilles du Chardonnet and Argentière, Tour Noir”.

The Cable car’s schedule for the last one at Lognan (5 pm) unfortunately leaves little time at the refuge, (friendly service, you can have lunch there) because you need to have a safety margin if you do not want to add 2 hours to reach Argentière from Lognan if you miss the last cable car!

The descent from the refuge (about 2h30) follows the same route in crossing the glacier to the moraine’s left bank which you will have to go back up to reach an overhanging trail on rocks overlooking the glacier. You will reach the top of ladders (70 m) which you will use to go down. At the foot of the ladder, follow the edge of the moraine and the flat of the glacier to the “Viewpoint” where one crosses many hikers who come to watch the séracs waterfalls and the glacier’s crevasses. Then join a dirt road, below which you see the Chalet-Refuge of Lognan, leading to the mid-point cable station of Grands Montets.

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