Mountain refuge Refuge de Chaligne

Changing orientation on the slopes of Chaligne

Open pastures, rounded lomas and a mountain that changes face as you gain height. On the side of Chaligne, on Gignod and within the Aosta Valley the terrain alternates more friendly sections with sectors where exposure to wind and time changes is quickly noticed. In this context, the Chaligne Refuge at 1934 meters, as a walking coat on a point where it is appropriate to read the orientation of the day well and not to be trusted with meteorology.

Its position fits well in itineraries that link local paths and tours of greater entity. The Via Alpina Red R117 , Alta Via n. 1 della Valle d'Aosta in its stage 14 and the senier 13 towards Rifugio Mont-Fallère in addition to the route of Via Francigena in the valley. This combination makes it a useful free haven both to break a journey and to withdraw before losing too much height if time gets worse or progression becomes slower than expected. It is also very close to the Pointe Chaligne , while summits like Mont Fallère strengthen the mountainous character of the area.

The logistics here matters. There is a source about 31 meters from the shelter, a valuable data for autonomy, although in mountain it is always necessary to provide for margin and confirm real conditions according to time and flow. The access runs through the Ru de Vaud and Meriau Desot seniero, we place the approach in mapping. As it is not a point in a valley background, the feeling can go from traffic to isolation in a short time, especially outside more frequent routes. This is why it is important to manage the effort from below, to reserve energies for return or the next link and to have sufficient equipment in front of wind, fog or sudden temperature changes.