Mountain refuge Abri du col de Fontfroide

In the middle of the Coll de Fontfroid

When the day comes from afar, this coat makes sense. Abri du col de Fontfroid , in the surroundings of Fraisse-sur-Agout and next to the route of Fontfroid, it works above all as a reference of passage for those who chain through the mountains of the Haut-Languedoc. Its position on the hill, at 973 meters, places it on a link ground where the slopes change, the orientation of the advance and often also the exposure to wind and time.

This role is well understood by looking at the itineraries that come close: through the area they pass the GR 7 , GR 71 and GR 77 , in addition to the GRP HLV and circular tours such as the Bouchle du Somail. More than a destination in itself, this free shelter can help to divide long stages, solve a day of link between sectors or serve as a clear point of navigation with map when several routes share passage through the hill. In a journey, this location allows to reorganize the advance without the need to descend into the valley.

The nearby relief does not respond to the logic of the high mountain pirenaica, but it does respond to a wide, wavy and exposed half mountain, where changes of direction matter. Next cements like Montahut o Roc d'Ourliades help to place the character of the terrain: moderate lomas and elevations, with continuity to walk and with crossing of itineraries that can extend the day if the reference of the hill is lost. Therefore, the coat also has value as a recognizable intermediate point under changing visibility conditions.

In terms of autonomy, immediate water should not be available. The nearest invented sources are more than 3 km away, a distance sufficient for the supply to be planned before arriving or leaving the laundry. Nor should other logistical support be assumed, so the decision to use this free shelter should be made with margin, especially if it is proposed as a stage cut on a long route.

Those who use it as support will find above all this: a point of guard and transition between signposted itineraries, useful to order a journey through Occitania, better manage an extended day and maintain a clear reference in an area where the passage through the hills structure much of the progression.