Refuge Albert 1er - Glacier du Tour

Located above the Tour glacier, on its right bank, it is the only refuge managed by the Chamonix CAF that can be reached without crossing a glacier in summer. Its location is ideal, with views over a wide range of peaks: Aiguille du Tour, Chardonnet, Aiguille d'Argentière, la Verte and les Drus, les Aiguilles Rouges. It was named after Albert 1st, King of the Belgians. Considered the only high-mountain refuge accessible to families.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 8.29 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: No
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 591 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 929 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 2,709 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,848 m

Photos

Description of the walk

_ Start_: In the hamlet of Le Tour, a few kilometers from Chamonix, after Argentière. Large car parks are available, and the area is well frequented.

_ Transport_: use the cable cars. A lift pass is often more attractive than single tickets. Several
interesting offers are available.
Check the opening times of the Charamillon gondola and the Autannes chairlift.

Take the Charamillon cable car and then the Autannes chairlift, which will take you up to 1900m and then 2200m.

(S/E) The path heads due South, climbing gently through the mountain pastures. After about 20 minutes, at around 2275m, you'll see on your right the path leading straight up from the cable car arrival point, which we'll take on the way back.

(1) Continue, the path will take you around the Bec du Picheu. Without gaining altitude, you'll carefully cross a tricky passage.

(2) The steps are high, but a cable and a metal handrail are in place.

(3) Approach a scree slope, not slippery. The well-marked path will take you to the moraine.

(4) The rest of the ascent takes place on this moraine, from where you can quickly see the large refuge overlooking the glacier. 150 m of ascent, very well marked, fairly steep, but the view at the finish is well worth the hike.

(5) To return, take the path in the opposite direction.

(1) Go straight down to the left into the mountain pasture, in wide laces. Don't take any shortcuts - it's better for your knees and avoids erosion. You'll always have a view of the cable car, and if you look up, of the Aiguilles Rouges massif. Return to the top of the Charamillon cable car (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S : km 0 - alt. 2,191 m - Autannes chairlift summit
  2. 1 : km 1.37 - alt. 2,253 m - Direct path junction
  3. 2 : km 2.39 - alt. 2,429 m - Zone to be passed carefully
  4. 3 : km 2.8 - alt. 2,454 m - Beginning of scree
  5. 4 : km 3.24 - alt. 2,501 m - Glacier du Tour moraine
  6. 5 : km 3.79 - alt. 2,707 m - Refuge Albert 1er
  7. E : km 8.29 - alt. 1,848 m - Charamillon cable car

Practical information

_ Start_: In the hamlet of Le Tour, a few kilometers from Chamonix, after Argentière. Large car parks are available, and the area is well frequented.

_ Transport_: Use the cable cars. A lift pass is often more attractive than single tickets. Several interesting offers are available.
Check the opening times of the Charamillon gondola and the Autannes chairlift.

Take the Charamillon cable car and then the Autannes chairlift, which will take you up to 1900m and then 2200m.

_ Refreshments & Facilities_: The Albert 1er refuge has toilets, drinking water and catering facilities.

_ Gears_: you'll need the usual equipment: preferably high-top shoes, sunglasses and cap, and a wind and rainbreaker, hat and gloves in your rucksack.
Poles are always welcome.
If there are children, 15m of rope is always a safety feature in the bag.

(1) Alternatively, you can return to the top of the Autannes chairlift (S) as you came.

In the nearby area

At the start of the hike, you have a view of the Mont Blanc massif, the Aiguilles de Chamonix, and to the left, La Verte and Les Drus. Once you reach the refuge, you're treated to a truly high-mountain panorama.
On the way back, you can see the Aiguilles Rouges, then to the North (your right), Switzerland with the Col de Balme and Lac d'Emosson opposite.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 15 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Clarity of route map
4.6 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
smashdc
smashdc
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : No

Superb views of the Mont Blanc massif, the Chamonix valley, the Aiguilles de Chamonix, the Aiguille Verte, the Drus and the Aiguilles Rouges among others. Top hike!

Breathtaking scenery all the way! A must-do!
I was very surprised by the superb scenery, particularly around the Col de Balme and the Lac de Catogne.
Three simple roped sections along the way before arriving on the moraine. There were a few cliffside sections, but they were fairly wide, so nothing too serious.
Great views on the way back and of the moraine in the distance. From a distance, it doesn't look like much of a climb, but in fact it is! And you can see it clearly from certain angles in full sunlight ;-) Grades of 20 - 27 % and mini-climbs at the end before reaching the refuge (where it seems harder at the end too).
At the very start, the climb is relatively gradual, with a fair amount of rock, but it's a climb too!
You can see the shape of the glacier very clearly, even before you get very close ;-)
Paid parking: €1 per hour, but I saw that there are a few free spaces a little further towards the end of the village if you arrive early enough.

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Planpel
Planpel

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Very nice walk, followed to the letter in the Visorando description. Very well done; don't change a thing.

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Claude L.
Claude L.

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

We left on 15/07/2024 at 8am. Arrived at the hut at 12:00. Nice hike, but a few steep sections in the scree and on the glacier moraine. Afternoon descent to the Charamillon cable car. The gradient was a little steep at the end of the hike (we're 75 years old).
We hadn't brought crampons and didn't finish the last 10 metres. We'll do it again in September.
The fields of rhododendrons, just too beautiful.

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pierpier34
pierpier34

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

Very good parish specific to Brittany

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VCANET
VCANET
• Last modified:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

Ascent on 27 June and descent on 29 June 2022.
Please note that in summer 2022, the Charamillon gondola lift is closed (renovation work on the lower and upper stations and change of gondola lift).
The walk begins at the Tour car park (1470 m)!
It took us 4 hours to get up there.

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jpr1870
jpr1870

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 16, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

It's a special year, so a lot of people are discovering the mountains and, above all, a region like this. For a 1st it's always magical.
Yes, there were quite a few people. Usually it's groups. We had no trouble finding a slot between the groups.

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philippedenimes30
philippedenimes30

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 15, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Busy trail : Yes

very steep last climb below the refuge + large névets. magnificent view of the glacier all the way.

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gabier971
gabier971

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of walk : Jun 20, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Busy trail : Yes

We left the car park because the lifts were closed but it was a nice walk, but we couldn't go as far as the refuge because there was too much snow and we weren't equipped to finish.

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le dd
le dd

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Aug 26, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

What a hike !!!! All the way up to the Tour glacier, which leaves you speechless in the face of such a gigantic work of nature. We spent at least three hours on the edge of this glacier. Extraordinary! An absolute must. A panorama of the Aiguille Verte and the Aiguille du Chardonnet on the right, with the Grande Fourche in the background.
We also hiked to the Col de Balme and back. A very highly rated hike.
Thanks to the author
The DD

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VAUTE007
VAUTE007

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of walk : Jul 18, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Superb hike starting with the TOUR ski lifts and finishing at the Albert 1er refuge along the Tour glacier (3 hours uphill).
magnificent high mountain scenery with mont blanc in the background
the last 60 m are a bit tough, not very well marked in the scree directly below the refuge:
Be well shod.

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Clapisson
Clapisson

We weren't able to do this walk because the cable car was closed: check opening times and dates.
We did, however, take a walk to the Col de Balme by gondola from Vallorcine.

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didi01
didi01

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of walk : Sep 08, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Clarity of route map : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

hike made from the Tour without the ski lifts count 6 good hours of walking... a magnificent weather and what a beauty at the top and the pleasure to sit at the edge of the glacier... superb view...

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christophe13930
christophe13930

Towards point 2, the markets are a bit high, but that's a worry for children, not teenagers.
Enjoy the hike.
Christophe

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Nour24
Nour24

We plan to sleep in the refuge. So we've got plenty of time!
I was more worried about the tricky sections, but apparently nothing so terrible.
Thanks a lot!

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christophe13930
christophe13930

I can confirm that not taking the cabin will add 1 h 15 to 1 h 30 to the climb and half that on the way down. That's a long way to go and the best part is still getting to the refuge.
Christophe

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