Haute Route Glaciaire, from Thumel clockwise

Description

0h00' From the car park, descend briefly down the tarmac road until you come to a signpost showing all the itineraries in the area, including path to the refuge. Turn right onto the farm road that departs near a kiosk with bar service. After a short uphill stretch, you will find, on the left, the road leading to the Chalet de l'Epée hut: ignore the fork and continue straight ahead along the main road.

0h05' After a short ascent, you reach the Tsalé esplanade: after an almost flat section, cross the stream of the same name on a small wooden bridge and, near the ruins of Saxe de Savoie (2036m), cross a second stream on a wooden footbridge and leave the track for the path.

0h50' Proceed now towards the narrows where you may encounter an early season snowfield, approach the Doire de Valgrisenche and start to climb the final section of the trail. When you reach the arrival station of the cable car used for supplies at the hut, proceed towards the pretty little lake that precedes the hut: a few minutes and you will reach the Mario Bezzi hut (2284m, 1h45') located in Vaudet.
The descent follows the same route as the ascent (1h00').