Le Petit Refuge: Welcome to Run the Alps’ Cozy Chamonix Mountain Retreat

_{Top photo: Sam Hill | Refuge photos: Sophie Pierpont}

It’s here!

After months of work behind the scenes, we are pleased to share something new, something cozy, and something special for Run the Alps guests and visiting trail runners: Le Petit Refuge.

A mountain cabin tucked away at the top of the Chamonix valley, in Vallorcine, France, Le Petit Refuge offers a snug and serene overnight stay. If you are booking a Run the Alps self-guided Tour du Mont-Blanc, we can include Le Petit Refuge on your itinerary. 

The Refuge is tailored to trail runners, but available for all mountain enthusiasts. It’s also available for booking for an overnight stay or longer, without registering for a Run the Alps trip. 

What’s there?

When you arrive at Le Petit Refuge, you’ll find a rather cute little cabin. There will be a few Big Mountain beers and non-alcoholic drinks waiting for you, plus all the usual amenities: free wifi, two twin beds with linens, toiletries, and towels. There’s also a bookshelf filled with trail running reading, and a log book to share notes about your trail adventures that day!

Outside, you’ll find comfortable seating and a picnic table, next to – sorry for the cliché, but it’s true – a babbling brook. And yes, it’s a great spot to take a refreshing dip after a day on the trails. (Run the Alps staff tested it last summer!)

Dinner and breakfast are provided, and we can meet any common dietary restrictions with advance notice when you book. If you’re part of a Run the Alps self-guided trip your bags will be delivered right to the cabin. 

Where to run?

If you’re on a self-guided Tour du Mont-Blanc, you’ll have a full day’s run to the refuge. We’ll provide route information and a GPX track.

If you’re not on a Run the Alps self-guided trip, there are lots of options for running to, and around, Vallorcine. This is hands-down one of our favorite areas in the valley. Our new guidebook, Trail Running Chamonix Mont Blanc, is filled with routes around the Upper Chamonix valley– and we’ll give you a 20% off code to get a copy when you book the refuge.

Here are a few sample itineraries:

*Run from Chamonix– and Back the next day

From Chamonix (you can stay at The Hub!) trail run via any one of a number of stunning routes, and finish the day by running directly to Le Petit Refuge. Spend the night, then run back to Chamonix via a different route.

*Run into the alpine high country above Lac Emosson

Have an extra day? There are a variety of great trail runs you can do right from the cabin. Run up to Refuge Loriaz. Or over to Emosson, and, if you’re feeling adventurous, add in two of the best summits in the region, Cheval Blanc and Mont Buet.

*Run Vallorcine Valley 

Run through wild forests, over the border into Switzerland, and along quiet farm roads to lunch in Finhaut. Then take the Mont Blanc Express train back to Le Petit Refuge!

Coming on any Run the Alps trip? 

Add a day or two before or after your trip, for a quiet retreat at Le Petit Refuge. 

The story behind Le Petit Refuge

Le Petit Refuge is exactly what you might expect from Run the Alps. Because so many of our core staff live and trail run in Chamonix, we’re always daydreaming about local projects. And this winter, with longtime friends Rob and Marleen, we developed the idea for Le Petit Refuge over mornings spent skinning up local mountains and coffee breaks in local cafes. We knew that a small cabin in this beautiful spot on the Tour du Mont-Blanc route would perfectly fit the bill for trail runners visiting the valley.

After a winter of work, here it is. We’re excited about it, and we hope you are, too!

More info & booking

Want more information or to book Le Petit Refuge? You can email us any time at lepetitrefuge@runthealps.com.

See you at the refuge!