Frassati Mountain Hut
An alpine hut at an elevation of 2,542 m in the Merdeux Valley: a stop on the Alta Via 1 and the Tour des Combins.
The Pier Giorgio Frassati Mountain Hut is located in Comba Merdeux, in the municipality of Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses, in the upper Gran San Bernardo Valley. It is situated above Lac Merdeux, a few kilometers from Col Malatra and the mountain range that separates the Great St. Bernard Valley from Val Ferret.
The mountain hut is located along the Alta Via No. 1 trail in the Aosta Valley and breaks up the long leg of the hike from Couchepache to the Bonatti mountain hut via Col Malatra.
The mountain hut, which opened in late August 2011, was built entirely by more than 2,000 volunteers affiliated with the missionary organization “Operazione Mato Grosso.” Founded for social purposes in Val Formazza in 1967, Operazione Mato Grosso manages, through its volunteers, other mountain huts both in Italy and in Peru (www.rifugi-omg.org).
All proceeds from the operation of these facilities are donated in full to missions in Latin America. The ascent route follows the path of the Alta Via No. 1 from Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses. Alternatively, you can drive to Arp-du-Jeux, at an elevation of 2,002 meters, where the top station of the first section of the Crevacol chairlift is located. From there, continue west along the farm road that climbs to the Tsa de Merdeux mountain pasture at an elevation of 2,273 meters; the path is initially flat and then gently sloping. From the mountain pasture, continue along Alta Via Trail No. 1, and in less than an hour you’ll reach the mountain hut, located a short distance from Lac des Merdeux.
The refuge also serves as a stopover for the Tour du Grand Saint Bernard. The cuisine, typically home-style, features local products, among which the Jambon des Bosses DOP stands out— a ham that acquires its distinctive characteristics from the aromatic mountain herbs with which it is coated during the curing process and from its long aging in the dry air of the cellars in Saint-Rhémy-en-Bosses.
Access
To reach the mountain hut, follow the Alta Via No. 1 trail from Saint-Rémy-en-Bosses. Alternatively, you can drive to Arp du Jeu, where the top station of the first section of the Crevacol chairlift is located. From there, continue west along the farm road that climbs to the Tza de Merdeux mountain pasture; the path is flat at first and then gently slopes upward. From the pasture, follow the Alta Via No. 1 trail, and you’ll reach the mountain hut in less than an hour.
