Mountain refuge Cabane du Fourneau

Between forest slopes and crest of the Belledonne

Above The Commo-de-Lancey , the relief gains height quickly towards the summits of the Belledonne massif. In that passage between the valley and the more alpine land is located Cabane du Fourneau at 1130 meters, at a level that still has a relationship with the forest but already works as a threshold towards longer routes. The closeness of tops like the Petite Lance du Crozet or the Pointe de la Sitre helps to understand its role: not so much the one with an isolated coat in the middle of the ridge, but the one with support to organize a day that goes up from the middle points to a more mineral terrain, with hills, tilted slopes and routes that can be extended according to the objective.

This intermediate position also influences road planning. From the area they pass through trails that link sectors like Lacs Robert or the Col des Lessines - Les Vannes axis, so that the cabin can serve as a reference in approaches, traverses or exits that seek to divide the effort between the bottom of the valley and the upper parts. In logistics it is appropriate to maintain an autonomous approach and to review the itinerary on map well, because the nature of the terrain changes with altitude and meteorology can tighten the day. For water, the closest reference is the Fontaine du Habert des Sabottes, located just over 1.5 km; useful as a guidance data, but not as an absolute guarantee if a long output is planned. In a mountain shelter of this type, this combination of access from valley, link to routes and proximity to summits conditions the day more than the distance in a straight line.