The 6 mountain huts

Description

This walk will guide you on the trails of transhumance. From one mountain hut to another, you will finally arrive at the hamlet of 6 Mountain Huts, at the foot of the Grun de Saint Maurice. The smells, colours and atmosphere change constantly during the change in altitude. You will be taken back in time and your imagination will roam thinking of the traces left by ancestors of the area, their history and their way of life. You will be overcome by a sense of respect for these mountain artisans. From the car park in Saint Maurice en Valgaudemar, return to the surfaced road towards the church and take the road to the right until you reach the sign indicating the way to 6 Mountain Huts. From here, follow the path marked with a red dot towards the Salette mountain hut. Cross the bridge over the Saint-Maurice stream and follow the path. At the next junction, follow the footpath that goes up to the right (do not take the path to the left that leads to the Rochimont mountain hut). Further on, the trail comes close to the stone ruins of a small mountain pasture hamlet and soon after leads to the Salette pastoral hut, which is situated at an altitude of 1650 m. After walking for 2 hours, the small fountain will be more than welcome. To reach the "6 mountain huts", continue the climb for about an hour on an open but rocky and narrow pathway with many bends, until you get to the surprising yet incredible hamlet that is situated at an altitude of 1980 m. After a welcome break in the superb cirque at the foot of the Grun de Saint-Maurice, which is filled with the history of the place, you can return by the same route.

Difficulty

Official rating: moderate, by Parc national des Écrins.

Getting there

Start: Saint Maurice-en-Valgaudemar, Saint-Maurice-en-Valgodemard (05).

Sources

• Track: Parc national des Écrins, Licence Ouverte 2.0, Licence Ouverte 2.0 (Etalab) (destination.ecrins-parcnational.fr/trek/938527-Les-6-cabanes). Time estimated by GPX Path with the Mac app rule, breaks not included.
• Official elevation gain: 973 m, Parc national des Écrins