Hands-down the best meal I've ever had on a mountain anywhere, ever. The refuge is off-piste to…read moreskier's right of La Herse or the Grand Montets cablecar. In addition to the off-piste route, you can take moderate cat-tracks to it from the piste, but there is no getting back on piste without either hiking out, taking a steep red back down to the Lognan trail to the base, or taking more off-piste back to the Lognan trail.
The refuge is tiny, so you really need to call to make reservations beforehand (day before or morning of) in order to make sure you have a table. This is a beautiful old school refuge, with cozy stone walls, exposed wood beams, and old wood tables. I can't imagine a more Alps feel being possible.
The menu seems to change daily, and on the day we were there they had something like oven-baked French bread pizza in cast iron skillets, but that's not doing it justice at all. The bread was cut and layered into the bottom of the pans, slices of fantastic cheese placed on top, then topped with a variety of options (e.g., tomatoes, asparagus, etc.) and baked until the cheese was bubbling. To wrap up the meal, they have a decent selection of tarts, tortes, and other sweets. My rhubarb tart was amazing, with a perfect crust and enough rhubarb for flavor in the tart without being too bitter, and my friend's blueberry tart disappeared damn near instantly, so I assume that it was also good.
Great food, great views, and a great vibe; what more could you want from a ski hut in the Alps?
