Perrucco Vuillermoz Refuge - Gandeg Hut

(S) Head south, passing close to two lakes. Reach the second lake, Lac de Balanselmo.

(1), head east to reach the large Chevalley Tsigannaz mountain pasture.

(2) Begin the climb up the pass called Fenêtre de Tsigannaz and continue until you reach it.

(3) Then begin a long descent heading northeast then north, which joins the road to Breuil Cervinia and the first bus stop.

(4) Take the bus to the Breuil cable car station.

(5) Take the next two lifts to reach the summit of the Théodule glacier.

(6) Cross the glacier, taking care to put on crampons and follow the ski tracks, to reach the junction of the Tour du Cervin route.

(7) Take this route to the right, which alternates between trail and glacier and leads to the Gandeg hut (E).

There are fountains on the route in Tsigannaz and in the first hamlet before the bus stop.
This stage involves a long transfer by bus and cable car, as these areas are not particularly suitable for hiking. These modes of transport also save a day on the planned tour.
Find out about ski lift prices and bus timetables.

Breuil Cervinia is a Mussolini-era town, built by the Italian leader who wanted to rival his German counterpart by creating this large ski resort.
Cabane Gandeg: we slept in a particularly pleasant and well-appointed 12-bed dormitory. But the special feature of this hut and dormitory is that it has:
- the east face of the Matterhorn to the west,
- to the east, the west face of Monte Rosa,
- the north face of the Breithorn to the south.
This view alone is well worth the cost of half board, which here was around €70 in 2015 (with the Walliser). It is best to check the Gandeg website for the latest prices.