TOUR des COMBINS

Impressions & experiences

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1.  Rifugio Frasatti - Aoste, Italy

Delicious ratatouille.  Delicious starters.  Delicious main courses.  ​3 course dinner provided with delicious starter and main course although desserts, on both occasions, were not the highlight of the meal so thankfully the luxury handmade chocolate on sale at reception is worth every Euro.  It is possible to order Italian hams/cheese share platters and other dishes if desired aside from a menu at lunch and dinner.  Breakfast includes plentiful coffee and milk and extra was easily served on request and the bread butter and jam was plentiful.  Picnics to take away are available although best to reserve in advance.  Bar service available throughout the day - rosso was enjoyable.  Welcoming family atmosphere greets you inside inside with an efficient family/families team evidently organising everything to a sensible schedule and it all runs like clockwork here.  A good management team seems to be coordinating things here as there are no issues.  There is a large dining area inside and a large terrace outside with mountain views and a small lake too.  Remote location between mountains means the views are wonderful.  A heavenly place to take shelter in an alpine storm.  Shared dormitories are relatively spacious, modern, easy to access although you may prefer the lower bunk, bathroom nearby and hot showers are available if wished for 3 euros which is a good idea to keep all beds and bedding in a good condition.  Located high up in the Italian mountains there are sometimes large groups coming up from the town of St Remy and otherwise trekkers arrive from either Col St Bernard or the other direction coming up from Val Ferret in Italy where Rifugio Bonatti on the Tour Mont Blanc route is located (and sometimes full) so trekkers can then come over Col Malatra to reach Rifugio Frasatti.  Small snacks are available at the reception and there is also a range of t-shirts for sale (adults / children sizes).  Adhoc food requests are served mid afternoon although generally meals are prepared for guests at noon and early evening when trekkers have arrived, showered and settled in.  Bring your own shampoo, pillow case, and duvet liner bag.  A large boot room and coat hanging area is at the entrance hall but do not leave things on the ground as the little puppy (who is teething) will not hesitate to chew through items left on the ground (which he is very good at) so it is best to tie your shoe laces together and hang your foot wear from one of the many hooks on the wall and put bags out of reach somewhere.  Given an opportunity to chew through a thick watch strap and this puppy will triumph!  The track going up from St Remy is a wide road track so access is good but either approach is via mountain cols where walking poles are useful, if snow remains then an ice axe and crampons could serve you well given the snow can remain here into July and can ice over during the night given the altitude and proximity to Col St Bernard this is of course no surprise.  

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2.  Rifugio Champillon - Aoste, Italy

Located high up in the Italian mountains this is a smaller Rifugio than some places enroute.  The breakfast is fabulous with natural yoghurt available, cereals, bread and jam, coffee / tea is self service, there is water in a jug, slices of salami and cheese are on the table, Nutella and bread is often provided in Italy at breakfast and once again it was an option at Rifugio Champillon with the croissant provided.  Power charging for phones is available near the breakfast table in a variety of sockets.  There are 2 toilets and a good hot shower.  The bunk room is very nice and spacious with a lovely big window and relative to other rifugios where the beds are somewhat more crammed into house large number of international trekkers requesting accommodation enroute around their treks this place has a calmness that is more like a home than places found elsewhere, perhaps this is due to the location high in the mountains rather than one of the valley options or more accessible options.  Make no mistake this is in the mountains and if coming up from Col St Bernard side then there is a delightfully steep path on the approach to give your legs an excellent work out on the way up before you descend gently down to the Rifuge Champillon.  If arriving late the doggie and a member of the team will welcome you and there is a bar available for refreshments if needs be.  The establishment was well cleaned and well cared for and people seemed to understand the mountain environment and needs of trekkers very well.  

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3.  Cabane de Chanrion - Valais, Switzerland

​If approaching from Fenetre du Durand at 2804 masl you descend to the river Dranse de Bagnes and cross over the new bridge at 2182 masl to reach the road leading uphill to 2461 masl.  The Cabane is clearly visible on a fine day from far away if approaching from Italy and Rifugio Champillon.  It is perched on the mountain side for everyone to see from near the Italian border.  Being up top at end of a road if coming from the Italian side you may / may not decide the village of Mauvisson is more convenient or preferable to you.  I haven't ascended to Chanrion yet although one imagines it is as excellent as all the other Swiss establishments operating in the region, despite the approach I can only refer to the location itself having opted to walk further to Mauvisson where there is a warm welcome in the village, albeit with limited accommodation options so make a reservation.

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4.  Hotel Mauvisson - Mauvisson, Valais, Switzerland and Foret Mélèzes camping

The traditional looking but not so small hotel is found immediately at the end of the path descending alongside the lake Mauvisson hydroelectric damn lake, near a small car park at the end of the road at the end of the valley, it is a welcome site if arriving from any direction but especially from Rifugio Champillon having walked from Italy.  Naturally being accessible by road it is somewhere town dwellers drive too and so you may need to factor that into your visit.  The hotel is a robust building standing prominently at the top of the valley and it looks like it could survive all weathers the atmosphere throws at it and you can imagine in winter it would be buried deep in snow for weeks on end.  No doubt it is well equipped to welcome those needing a welcome in the mountains in summer and winter.  There are a good number of beds and rooms available here but on a weekend the popularity of the place may be evident so you may wish to reserve in advance with the polite and welcoming lady working there.  

Mauvisson is a little mountain village.  Mauvisson describes itself as a community of farmers and mountain people that evolved to be builders and engineers and professionals in most sectors nowadays (as per information boards in the gardens you see as you amble down to Mauvisson village on foot paths).  The small Mauvisson community is nestled in the valley.  There is a restaurant with tables inside, and outside on a terrace, serving delicious carefully prepared food even late into the evening in high season.  Booking in advance is possibly wise if you are a group.  Ice creams are for sale from a freezer in the summer.  

The campsite nearby is called Camping Foret Mélèzes and accommodates those with tents on the go perfectly well.  The valley is ordinarily able to welcome TMR buses up to the Hotel Mauvisson however sometimes there are landslides that make access limited to local taxis shuttling people around to various locations nearby, and not so nearby, and in order to assist anyone that needs to reach accommodation further away in case you find yourself in the wrong valley like a man that was waiting for a taxi when I was there in August 2024 and the lady in the restaurant said he was heading to a hotel a few valleys away!  The choice is all yours but I have the impression reserving is not unwise if planning to visit this area although having a waterproof bivvi bag in your trekking rucksack and a sleeping bag might mean you have every base covered just in case you need a valley camp in the valley camping site.​

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5.  Cabane FXB Panossière - Glacier Corbassière, Valais, Switzerland

​What a delight!  The fantastic scenery surrounding this venue means that even if you had planned on walking passed and going elsewhere you will be forced to stay put.  Do not bother reserving elsewhere as you will become paralysed by the fine views on arrival and find yourself quite unable to put one foot in front of another or go elsewhere.  Reserve here in advance is my suggestion.  The scenery is fabulous.  Whichever direction you arrive from the views are spectacular although it takes a little effort to reach the Cabane Panossière.  Located at the foot of a number of different glaciers and with views of the Grand Combin and the Grand Combin Glacier this is not a place you decide to skip past without immediate and long lasting regret as if it is just another alpine refuge, it is not, the scenery commands and demands your attention and there is nothing you can do about it as you become mesmerised by the glaciers, mountain peaks and snow all around you and surrender to the beauty of the mountain environment, and place your ruck sack down on the ground unable to drag your eyes away from the scenery around you.  So you enter Cabane FXB Panossière with a desire never to depart ever again and resigned to the mountain magic that has taken a hold on you once again and left you dumbfounded as you surrender to the powers that be.  It is not possible to go any further once you arrive here.  It is a captivating place.  Suffice to say the interior of the Cabane FXB Panossière has everything a smelly trekker or an elite mountaineer smelling of aftershave or perfume might need and the team here are a positive crowd who appear calm and serene and are able to get everything organised.  I wonder if they are all ex Swiss train employees or shareholders as even the man up at 06:00 as he prepares the breakfast platters and service (muttering to himself) looks surprised when you ask at what time you can help yourself and he looks bemused that you haven't already served yourself and that you are not already half way up a mountain with a rope and an ice axe in hand as that is what he is there to do, and that was at about 06:30, there are alpinists departing at all hours from here, I heard a little noise at 4am but possibly some left at 03:30, I couldn't say as I was asleep.  Many other refuges, often in France, prefer groups to breakfasts from 07:00 or 30 ish but the Tour des Grand Combins is the first place since leaving Scotland where it seems to be the norm (in both Italy and Switzerland) to breakfast according to your mountain agenda requirements.  What a relief to find this is still the norm in the mountains.  I wonder if that man preparing breakfast has a little Scottish in him.  I don't know but he was a superlative mutterer like many Scottish I have seen in mountain huts.  Bring plenty of extra Swiss cash here or a bank card to spend on all the delicious food and drink that you may wish to purchase whilst gazing at or analysing the mountains for your next adventure.  There is a cold shower outdoors for those wishing to embrace nature.  There is a washing line at the rear of the Cabane with a natural tumble dryer.  There is 5G connection outside at the cairn.  Inside you hang everything up in the entrance hall.  You can plug in phones at the power bank opposite a walking poles hooks/stand.  Hot showers are available down stairs, bring lots of soap with you.  Sleeping accommodation is upstairs.  Once the sun disappears here you need a warm layer.

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6.  Cabane du Col de Mille - Valais, Switzerland

With wonderful views to the Mont Blanc Massif mountains the enormous windows allow you to view the jagged mountain peaks whilst enjoying a drink inside.  If you fancy sun bathing then there is plenty of room outside for soaking up the sunshine and getting skin cancer if desired whilst enjoying the wonderful mountain views.  Constructed recently this wonderful mountain refuge has a team of people that care about providing good nourishment and if you arrive mid afternoon you can see the preparations for the evening meal that await the guests staying overnight.  Alternatively you can stop here for afternoon cake and then go down valley to Liddes where there are a number of restaurants and hotels including a pizza restaurant opposite a hotel which I have not been to which looked lovely from outside, or circle around to Bourg St Pierre where there are a couple of hotels on the main road and more functional looking accommodation.​

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7.  Hotel Bivouac de Napoléon- Bourg St Pierre, Valais, Switzerland

​I have enjoyed a delicious meal here at lunch time and I would recommend it for lunch without hesitation for a large salad (ask for dressing on the side) or any number of meat offerings served with fresh vegetables that are offered.  I think the meat options are their speciality.  They are open from 07:30am for breakfast if you are passing by, all morning and for lunch, dinner service and until late, so it is a place to remember for the hours they offer restauration services.  I could not comment on accommodation as I have not experienced it.  The establishment seems well run and organised although it would benefit from some fresh air inside and some airing a little more inside would be a good idea in the peak of summer if you ask me, I think the kitchen must be very busy. If I was asked to give an initial impression of the inside I would say that there is a large welcome area with a large bar and little shop aswell as a large number of tables in a comfortable seating area that is a bit of a traditional time capsule  but I didn't have an opportunity to sleep here or see any rooms but apparently they have been refreshed in recent years to provide a spa ambience which is a step away from the ground floor atmosphere which is nonetheless welcoming, professional and serves clients well.   

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The tables and service on the terrace outside are fine and the menu for lunch is not to be missed if you enjoy a mountain meal with meat and vegetables as they are offer excellent restaurant service.  The delicious large late of green salads leaves I had for a starter seemed to be struggling to breath under the avalanche of balsamic dressing which was far too much, I do wish the dressing had been in a jug and on the table, or that they put on less dressing on as I liked the taste of salad.  The main course was excellent. The reception sells snacks and there is a surprisingly large selection of Swiss chocolate bars and holiday gifts on sale inside, you can buy any number of sizes of St Bernard dogs and if you are looking for a souvenir there are t-shirts and toys, although I did notice the award for the largest St Bernard dog goes to the car garage over the road which sells an enormous St Bernard if you need one for any reason.  The Frigor chocolate in the Hotel Bivouac Napolèon was as tasty as usual in Switzerland, and the selection of nut chocolate bars was admirable, the whoelnut Cailler in a blue wrapper is still as good as I remember since the last time I bought it.  It is very good to know there is a chocolate depot here as it may be the only place you can get snacks late in the evening if needing some chocolate after a long day of hiking.​

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8.  Gite de Champlong - Niord, nr. Liddes / Bourg St Pierre, Valais, Switzerland

A beautiful place, lovingly restored and beautifully presented.  Traditional mixes with modern style here for a comfortable and relaxing stay in a peaceful environment where there is a dormitory room for guests to rest.  Do book here as there is a dormitory room for walkers wishing to enjoy the peace, quiet, home cooking, beautiful interior, relaxing fire and sofas.  Stopping by in the afternoon allows you to enjoy a superb apricot slice, ice creams or select from a menu of meals and small dishes.  Do not attempt to find this place late in the day though unless you have done your research.  3 of the options I tried are blocked by enormous rock fall landslides next to the river where yet old foot paths still remain on maps, it is a high risk rock fall area at the bottom of cliffs (well below the gite) so be careful on the approach in, avoid where the rock fall is not only evident but completely blocks the way.   If walking from Liddes, there is a road to access the gite.  There is a path with white diamond triangles and white sign posts coming from the other end of the valley if you wish to take a path from Bourg St Pierre, otherwise there is a road and a track option but check the map first.  If walk up from Bourg St Pierre to the white signs path, you first cross the river and go up left to avoid the rock fall and landslides along the riverside, and then you detour to the right to reach a path going up to Niord.  If you walk to the lake Toules, you can then take a track up right. On the Tour des Combins the mountain side requires continual evaluation as geophysical risk is an ongoing concern everywhere, like on the Tour Mont Blanc and Tour St Bernard, do not assume the terrain is always risk free, far from it, hydro management is a daily consideration that impacts rocks, rock falls, landslides and terrain evolves, so whilst the Italians seem to have mastered terracing the mountainsides over generations and centuries to support the hillsides there are other areas where terracing using the rocks available is overlooked and doesn't resemble an Indian tea harvesting zone full of terraces, or a Peruvian masonry terracing master piece, so you need to judge the terrain yourself and take risks entirely at your own will and of your own choosing.

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9.  Cabane Tsissette - Combe de l'A, Valais, Switzerland

I have not had an opportunity to sleep here as I am always walking passed on the go however the position in Combe de l'A is beautifully isolated and having been recently refurbished and renovated it appears to offer very comfortable sleeping accommodation and appears to be managed by people that understand the requirements of an established positioned in such a position between the mountains.  I wouldn't hesitate to stay here is the opportunity arose and from outside it appears very inviting.​

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10. Hotel Edelweiss - La Fouly, Valais, Switzerland

A hotel located in the mountain village of La Fouly which could be described as a mix of modern and mountain tradition, it is on the sumptuous end of accommodation offerings in La Fouly, and has a comfortable and welcoming entrance area, reception, drinks area, tables and chairs, and an atmosphere that is refreshing and welcomed and everything seems perfectly designed for guests.  The management I met are professional, friendly, very civil and polite.  

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11.  Auberge Glacier - La Fouly, Valais, Switzerland

Located very conveniently next to the only small supermarket in La Fouly and a little sports shop this establishment with a somewhat renowned chef and a friendly lady on reception welcomes locals, trekkers morning, afternoon and evening doing the Tour Mont Blanc, and other guests all day long.  It provides restauration services from breakfast if you fancy a croissant and coffee, to lunch for a full menu service, served inside or outside on a large terrace, to evenings when meals offered are varied and offer a good selection.  You can also just enjoy a drink if you are not looking to eat and admire the glaciers and mountains all around you.  Auberge guests have a dining room for breakfast and dining seperate from the terrace if they wish to relax inside.

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In La Fouly, there is also an auberge, a gite, various group accommodation options such as Maya Joie, Gite La Fouly, and the Camping Glacier, further information is available online at La Fouly Tourist information website, just search for Pays St Bernard and look for accommodation for more ideas.​

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