Autumn returns in Chamonix with good news! Situated at an impressive altitude of 2706m and recently renovated, Albert Premier Hut reopens its doors at the beginning of autumn, on September, 4th.
Albert Premier, a stone hut dating from 1959 is located on the Haute Route between Chamonix (France) and Zermatt (Switzerland) providing superb access for both skiers and hikers to the glacier or the neighbouring summits: Aiguille du Tour, Grande Fourche, Chardonnet, Aiguille d'Argentière, la Verte et les Drus & les Aiguilles Rouges. It is particularly popular with families in summer when the well-run hut is tended by a hut-keeper who cooks up great mountain meals for famished walkers on a sunny terrace.
The large building, owned by CAF section Chamonix, has been undergoing some renovations since June 2013 up to now. Approximately 2.5 million euros were spent in total for the hut improvement, including: new installations, the strengthening of the old structures and compliance with health and safety standards.
To access the refuge from Chamonix, take a bus or drive through Argentière to La Tour (1482m) where you pick up the Charamillon gondola (1850m), then the Charamillon-Balme chairlift (2186m). From here, a well-marked 1-2h trail leads to the Refuge Albert 1er.
Inauguration ceremony will take place in the presence of Georges-Francois Leclerc, the prefect of the Haute Savoie, MP Sophie Dion and Eric Fournier, the mayor of Chamonix.
Stay tuned, fresh photos of the refuge coming soon!
