Refuge des Prés
High on the slope at 1935 m, a few hundred metres off the main path above La Balme.
High on the slope at 1935 m, a few hundred metres off the main path above La Balme. Small and exposed, with the Bonhomme wall filling the view — a good choice if you want the col crossing at first light.
The place
High on the eastern slope at 1935 m, a few hundred metres off the main path above La Balme, this is a small and rather exposed place with one very good argument in its favour: it is the highest bed before the Col du Bonhomme, and the wall of the col fills the window.
Sleep here and the crux of the day — 500 m of climbing to the Bonhomme and another 150 m to the Croix — happens in the first two hours of the morning, in cool air and before the crowd that left Les Contamines at seven catches up. The trade-off is that you carry your evening up 800 m from the valley. Walkers who like being early and high tend to think it is worth it; walkers who like a shop do not.
Getting there
| Leg | Distance | Elevation | Trail runner | Fit / sportive | Multiday hiker | Relaxed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| From Refuge de Nant Borrant | 2 km | +176 / −6 m | 0h22 | 0h31 | 0h41 | 0h49 |
| To Refuge de la Balme | 0.5 km | +83 / −0 m | 0h07 | 0h10 | 0h14 | 0h17 |
Booking
Book on montourdumontblanc.com
This hut sells its beds through the Tour du Mont-Blanc booking portal, so the planner can show you its live availability night by night — and warn you the moment a full night frees up. Every night on the Tour must be booked; there is no walk-in option in season.
Other places to stay nearby
- Refuge de la Balme Refuge · 1706 m
0.5 km further along the Tour, at 1706 m. Bookable on the Tour du Mont-Blanc portal, so the planner shows its availability night by night. - Refuge de Nant Borrant Refuge · 1459 m
2.0 km back down the Tour, at 1459 m. Bookable on the Tour du Mont-Blanc portal, so the planner shows its availability night by night. - Gîte le Pontet Gîte · 1170 m
5.2 km back down the Tour, at 1170 m. Bookable on the Tour du Mont-Blanc portal, so the planner shows its availability night by night.
For when this stop is full. These book themselves and are not on the Tour du Mont-Blanc portal — contact each directly and confirm before you rely on it.
Stages passing this stop
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