Refuge des Bans

Date of your route : Jul 16, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

As others have pointed out, access to the car park is now blocked. We had to park at La Chapelle, which adds 2.5 km to the walk (making it 5 km there and back). With our 6- and 9-year-old children, that’s not insignificant, but it was still manageable. The final stretch of the climb, towards the mountain hut – which is very technical and steep – taken in a thunderstorm, gave it a real ‘sense of adventure’.
Apart from that, the walk is really pleasant; the vegetation changes as you climb, and we spotted plenty of marmots in the meadow.

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Officially, the road is closed to motor vehicles from the chapel onwards (sign and chicane), which adds about 2.5 km x 2 to the journey. However, some people still drive through in passenger cars (you’ve got to be confident in your car’s mechanics...) and go almost as far as the old car park, which leaves space for the chapel – which is just as well, as there isn’t much of it.

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Date of your route : Jul 01, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent round trip to the Refuge des Bans. Flowers galore at the start of summer, torrents, waterfalls and snowfields still dotting the landscape. It’s a refuge you have to work for – the final climb is a bit steep, but the rest of the walk winds gently upwards through the valley.

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Date of your route : Jun 23, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Since 2024, when the last reports were issued, conditions have changed in the Bans Valley. At present, the car park is no longer usable. You can park in a small car park – which fills up quickly – along the road, 300 metres before the main car park. This is due to major rockfalls that occurred on 18 June. Furthermore, the final two kilometres leading up to the car park should be approached with caution. There are plans to have vehicles park at a car park by the chapel in the near future! The path itself has been badly damaged, resulting in changes to the final section, but it is well signposted.

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Date of your route : Sep 11, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, relatively easy hike, the passage through the riverbed is well marked but still somewhat uncomfortable. There are a few simple, slightly mountainous steps before reaching the refuge. The warden is very friendly!

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

A beautiful hike in magnificent surroundings surrounded by waterfalls, ending at a very nice, slightly technical refuge. A good meal at a very reasonable price. Well done to the wardens.

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Date of your route : Aug 19, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Hike completed in mid-August 2024 with two children aged 5 and 8 (who are pretty good walkers).
We left the car park at 10 a.m. It was far from full. We expected crowds, but in the end it was quite peaceful.
The hike is fairly easy. The climb is steady and not too difficult. It takes about two hours to reach the refuge. It's very beautiful, surrounded by peaks over 3,500 metres high with small glaciers.
The refuge is very nice: cold beer on tap and food. You can enjoy your picnic at a table while having a drink.
There are lots of places along the way to pick blueberries and raspberries. And there are plenty of spots to sit by the stream and cool off.
It's a great hike to do with the family.

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Date of your route : Aug 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Completed as a family with children aged 3, 5, 7 and 9. With children, I would classify this hike as moderate in terms of difficulty, bearing in mind that they were already fairly fit after two weeks of hiking. There are some sections with poor paving that are not ideal for walking. I had to carry the youngest quite a lot.
The first third of the route consists of climbing up the ravine, under cover of vegetation. Be careful with children as there are some steep drops above the stream in places, even though the trees make it seem less so.
When you leave the forest, there is a flatter section in the meadows with a magnificent view of a series of peaks over 3,000 metres high and their glaciers. A detour had to be made for 800 metres, via the torrent's boulder field, to get around a landslide. This increases the difficulty of the route.
The last 500 metres to the refuge are the most difficult as you have to climb the rocky outcrop. The option of bypassing the torrent depends on the course of its bed and is not always possible.
As an option, it is possible to climb a little higher in the cirque, up to the snowfields (no path)
The route is fairly busy but not excessive, with some congestion in the first section, which then thins out.
For those who would like to have a bite to eat at the refuge, I would still recommend bringing your own sandwiches, especially if you have children. The staff are friendly and the food is good, but they are not very quick ^^ (euphemism: 2 hours' wait for an omelette and 3 pancakes). Otherwise, it's perfect for a beer and the view!

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Date of your route : Aug 05, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

In short, a bit too crowded. We climbed up to the refuge on one of the slopes running alongside the torrent, but it wasn't very interesting, with breaks in the track caused by rockfalls forcing us to cross the torrent.

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Date of your route : Sep 19, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Not very busy as it was a weekday in September.
Very beautiful hike, the final effort to reach the refuge is superbly rewarded!
Very friendly warden and refuge, magnificent view.

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Date of your route : Aug 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A magnificent hike accessible with minimal training. Be aware that parking is limited on busy days. For those who, like me, are prone to vertigo, you can bypass the last section on the side of the rock by following the river upstream. This will take you to the helipad, and the last 100 metres are not too vertiginous. You can then enjoy the view from the refuge and its delicious treats.

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Date of your route : Aug 12, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A superb hike that is easy to do without training for anyone who is used to walking in the mountains.
Magnificent landscapes.
Impossible to get lost.
However, it gets very busy in summer, so it's best to arrive at the car park before 10 a.m.
We skipped the last few metres as the climb to the refuge was too crowded and ate near the stream instead.

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Date of your route : Aug 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A magnificent, peaceful hike to enjoy with friends or family on a well-travelled circuit, but without having to walk in single file!
Unspoilt nature all around with the river, mountain pastures, mountains and butterflies everywhere!
Beautiful nature is everywhere and there is a splendid view of the heights and the snow that is still present!
The view from the refuge towards the valley is magnificent
Delicious snacks reward your efforts and are well worth a break to contemplate such beautiful scenery!
The same goes for the climb up to the refuge and the snow-capped mountains surrounded by a gradient of green flowers!
Loique45

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Hello
Thank you for this message, which is essential for all hikers and indeed for everyone, even those who don't hike.
Visorando, mindful of this fact, has proposed a charter that every Visorando user can obtain when editing the route sheet, which addresses this issue of waste. It reads as follows:
"TAKE YOUR WASTE WITH YOU
YOUR RUBBISH
do not leave any traces
of your visit."
Unfortunately, everyone acts in their own way.
Have a nice day

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An eco-friendly gesture that anyone can do: take your beer bottles, cans and other rubbish back down to the valley... It's not heavy and doesn't take up much space in your backpack... And it avoids having to dispose of rubbish by helicopter!

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