The Refuge de Bramanette

de fr

This short hike is the starting point for a magnificent three-day trek between Haute Maurienne and Val de Suze (Italy), with beautiful lakes and numerous small glaciers.
But the setting and the welcome at the Refuge de Bramanette are such that they alone justify spending the night there and descending back down to the valley the next day!

This walk is part of a multi-day hike: La face cachée de la Maurienne

Details

n°64
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 3.61 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: No
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 480 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 42 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,110 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,630 m
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Photos

The Bramanette Valley
Refuge de Bramanette
Bramanette Valley
Extravache Church

Description of the walk

Parking is available at the Saint-Pierre d'Extravache car park.

(S) Take the forest track to the first crossroads where two signs indicate the Refuge de Bramanette.

(1) Take the right-hand track, which stays on the trail and is less steep. At a bend where the trail begins to climb, it is crossed by a footpath.

(2) It is steeper but much more comfortable than the large stony path. The climb is fairly quick and soon leaves the forest to enter the Bramanette valley.

(3) Continue towards the hollow of the valley occupied by a few alpine chalets, one of which is the Refuge de Bramanette (E).

Waypoints

  1. S : km 0 - alt. 1,672 m - Saint-Pierre d'Extravache car park
  2. 1 : km 0.12 - alt. 1,674 m - Crossroads
  3. 2 : km 1.2 - alt. 1,674 m - Turn / trail
  4. 3 : km 3.09 - alt. 2,090 m - Bramanette Valley
  5. E : km 3.61 - alt. 2,110 m - Refuge de Bramanette

Notes

Refuge de Bramanette: +33 (0)6 47 60 69 65 - https://refugedebramanette.fr/: open from 14 July to 17 August. According to the website, the dormitories are undergoing renovation work in 2025 and will reopen for overnight stays in 2026.

Worth a visit

Before leaving the car park at Saint-Pierre d'Extravache, don't forget to visit this magnificent chapel, whose ruins have been beautifully preserved.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 16 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
Odile.74
Odile.74

The practical information about the Bramanette refuge is no longer up to date
The telephone number for the new warden, Lydia, is:
06 47 60 69 65
Please update your information

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mimi 73
mimi 73

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Interesting route. Beautiful views. Tasting of an excellent blueberry tart at the BRAMANETTE refuge

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Renard 39
Renard 39

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

An idyllic location!

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Toine
Toine

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 13, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

It's always a pleasure to visit the Bramanette refuge, for the setting and the welcome. A stop in Montbas to chat with the owner and taste his jams!

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Froglet
Froglet

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 11, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Beautiful climb to the Bramanette refuge, returning via Pré Maudru to avoid steep paths. Magnificent view of the Dent Parrachée.

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xtian74
xtian74

Overall rating : 4.5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 12, 2022
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This lovely walk along steep tracks and paths leads to the Bramanette mountain pasture and the refuge of the same name. Rather than doing a round trip, it is more interesting to follow the balcony path that leads to the Montbas mountain pasture, from where several paths allow you to return to the starting point.

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visorandopapounetjpb
visorandopapounetjpb

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 20, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

this tour allows children aged 8, 5 and 4 to discover an "old-fashioned" mountain refuge. They all "held out" until the end.
The refuge is very welcoming and the owner is very attentive.
The only downside was the return trip, which was on a steep slope.

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BALADEAUBERT
BALADEAUBERT

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Excellent hike in good weather conditions. Clear skies with a light north wind and ideal temperatures (25°C at the start)
The refuge was very welcoming, and spending a night there with half board was a complete change of scenery.
The evening meal and breakfast were very good and plentiful.
Martial was the perfect host, very attentive to our needs and always adding that special touch that makes all the difference.

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J-F.Loichot
J-F.Loichot

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 11, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

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mont
mont

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 22, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We went to Bramanette on 25 June 2018 and discovered an authentic refuge in a valley full of flowers.
We received a very warm welcome and some great suggestions: a short, beautiful walk from the refuge in the late afternoon and some good advice on a pleasant route back. At the start of this trail, Martial and his partner named all the peaks we could see and gave us some more details about the landscape around us. There were 14 of us and everyone came back delighted with the hike. n~z

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frambuesa73
frambuesa73

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2017
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A very pleasant hike, mostly through forest. Less experienced hikers can follow a path suitable for 4x4 vehicles. The arrival at the mountain pastures is a wonderful reward. The welcome at the refuge is perfect.

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jjanin
jjanin
• Edited:

We climbed up to the refuge 20 years ago in summer. This winter, we didn't do the whole hike: on the first day, we climbed from Brammans to Plan Clot, which is quite poorly signposted. We couldn't find the path back between Plan Clot and L'Oratoire.
The next day, we took the shuttle bus to Le Cernay (in winter the road is closed to tourists) and turned off in that area towards the Combe des Archettes because it's the sunny side and it was really very cold.
I'm leaving a comment to let you know about the Auberge au Cernay: we were welcomed by a charming couple who, in addition to serving us comforting hot drinks, gave us a taste of some regional specialities. I really recommend stopping there for a break!

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Pierrot
Pierrot ★
Xari
Xari

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 16, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

The path on the left through the forest at the start is quite steep but beautiful. Stunning forest of Swiss pine and larch trees. Small old-fashioned refuge in a magnificent setting.

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Pierrot
Pierrot ★

Thanks for the feedback!
By the way, I'm trying to organise a trek there in July, but I haven't been able to get in touch with the refuge. It seems there's been a change of manager. Does anyone have their contact details?

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