Pilatte Glacier and Refuge

de fr

A lovely hike in the Ecrins to see the Pilatte glacier. There are no tricky sections or navigation difficulties.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 19.73 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 8h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 865 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 865 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,573 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,708 m
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Description of the walk

At La Bérarde, park at the entrance to the village, then cross the bridge over the Vénéon. Alternatively, after crossing the bridge, head down to the large car park by the river.

(S/E) Enter the village and cross it, then take the path to the junction with the path that leads from the car park at the edge of the stream.

(1) Continue in the same direction, keeping the stream on your right. You will reach an intersection with a suspension bridge.

(2) Do not take the footbridge, but continue climbing until you reach the Carrelet refuge.

(3) At the refuge, continue climbing for a long time, always following the course of the stream. Leave two paths on the left leading to another refuge and cross several tributaries of the main stream. You will reach the wooden footbridge over the Vénéon.

(4) Take the footbridge and immediately afterwards, leave the path that descends to the right. Turn left, and the climb will now be much steeper. Cross the stream several times. A final series of tight hairpin bends leads to the Pilatte refuge.

(5) Admire the landscape. Descend to the car park via the same route (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,708 m - Car park at the entrance to the village
  2. 1 : km 0.58 - alt. 1,726 m - Path connecting to the car park. - La Bérarde - Chalet Alpin du Club Alpin Français
  3. 2 : km 3.22 - alt. 1,881 m - Suspension bridge - Vénéon (torrent) - Affluent de la Romanche
  4. 3 : km 3.88 - alt. 1,910 m - Refuge du Carrelet (1909m)
  5. 4 : km 7.4 - alt. 2,144 m - Boardwalk
  6. 5 : km 9.81 - alt. 2,573 m - Refuge de la Pilatte (2577m)
  7. S/E : km 19.73 - alt. 1,708 m - Car park

Notes

At the height of the summer season, use the car park by the stream.
The Pilatte refuge was closed at the end of August 2017.
An alternative route for the descent: from (4), descend on the other side of the stream and rejoin the route at (2).
Fountain at the Carrelet refuge.

Difficult classification due to the length and elevation gain.

You are hiking in the heart of the Ecrins National Park.

The Écrins massif is an exceptional area, open to all, with a rare natural, cultural and landscape heritage. To protect these treasures, the heart of the park is marked by blue, white and red flags, where regulations must be observed. Please familiarise yourself with these regulations when preparing for your hike in order to preserve this collective asset, at https://www.ecrins-parcnational.fr.

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5
Based on 5 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
5 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
JODIDO
JODIDO
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 12, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Despite a recent municipal decree in 2022 concerning the closure of the hiking trail leading to the Pilatte refuge, it is still possible to get there.
A notice has been posted on two footbridges and on a perimeter far from the refuge platform.
It dates from 2021 and states that the refuge is closed and that climbing up from the torrent is strongly discouraged.
The person at the reception desk of the Maison de la Bérarde confirmed what was posted on the decrees.
It would be a real shame to miss this magnificent hike.
There are no difficulties to report, except for its length of 20 km round trip.
From the footbridge that crosses the stream, it climbs all the way, but fairly steadily.
You have to go around the refuge and walk a few minutes to reach a viewpoint where you can admire the remarkable Pilatte glacier.
The hike took me 8 hours and 20 minutes with a 1½-hour break. On the way back, I took the alternative route between points 4 and 2.
In the height of summer, it is advisable to start the hike very early, as there is not a shred of shade along the entire route.
I started at 7:30 a.m., and by 10 a.m., it was already very hot!

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JODIDO
JODIDO

I called the Saint-Christophe-En-Oisans/La Bérarde Tourist Office on 10 July 2023.
The advisor I spoke to informed me that it was no longer possible to do this hike.

Global warming has caused the glacier to melt, and it no longer acts as a buttress.
The refuge is now permanently closed due to the dangers posed by the highly unstable granite base on which it is built.
By municipal decree issued by the mayor of Saint Christophe en Oisans:
- Access to the platform on which the building stands is now prohibited.
- The refuge (main building and winter refuge) is completely closed to the public: no reception, accommodation or shelter in case of emergency can be provided there.
The Parc des Écrins will put up signs this year to physically indicate that the access path to the refuge is closed.

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astarté
astarté

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 21, 2021
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : Not used / Not applicable
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

For your information: the Pilatte refuge is closed until further notice due to ground movement beneath the refuge.

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RAND19
RAND19

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 29, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Day hike. It's splendid, the raspberry bushes help us finish! We came across a deer just before the Carrelet refuge, unforgettable.
It's quite a climb once we crossed the Vénéon... but hey, that's the mountains for you!!!

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anso16
anso16

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 20, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We did the hike in two days, staying overnight at the Pilatte refuge, but it can easily be done in one day! (We preferred to do it this way for our first night in a refuge).
A very beautiful hike with a magnificent view of the glacier at the end. The final stretch is quite steep, but we even saw children climbing up.

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Bouchonde20
Bouchonde20

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 21, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

I did this hike in August 2017, it was amazing, I even saw some marmots. I left the Bérarde refuge where I had been staying for the week at 7:45 a.m. I arrived at the Pilatte refuge at 11 a.m., the view of the glacier is fantastic.
The climb is long and quite difficult, so it was a joy to arrive!
A must-do hike!

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