From Albertville, take the RN90 to Bourg Saint Maurice. Take the RD902 for 12km following signs to Tignes, Val d’Isère. When you come to Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise, there are two possible routes:

1. Continue along the RD902 towards Val d’Isère until you come to ‘La Thuile’. Take the road on the left up to the Sainte-Foy ski resort. Once in the ski resort, continue along the forest track for approximately 3kms and park in the car park at ‘L’Echaillon’. You must park here and walk the remaining distance to the refuge, an easy 30 minute walk (75m difference in altitude).
2. Continue along the RD902 towards Val d’Isère, past La Thuile, until you come to a small hamlet called ‘Les Pigettes’. Take the road up to the left, a small road with numerous hairpins that leads to ‘Le Chenal’ (1743m). Park here and walk the remainder of the journey, an easy 1hour15 hike to the refuge (174m difference in altitude).

Built in the 16th century, the Monal refuge is a panoramic viewpoint, set in the foothills of the Grande Sassiere, facing South down the Isere valley, South East of Sainte-Foy-Tarentaise.

Near the St Clair Chapel, the refuge is towered over by the prestigious Mount Pourri (3779m) and its cousin the Dôme de la Sache (3601m).

Neighbouring the Italian boarder and the Italian National Park – the ‘Grand Paradis’, the refuge is also situated on the periphery of the Vanoise National Park.

• IGN / PNV 3532 and Top 25 : ‘Les Arcs, La Plagne’ – Number 19

• Michelin 74 - Number 19

• ‘Alpes sans Frontières’ 14   “Vanoise. Gran Paradiso” by Didier Richard – scale 1/50 000