Alpine Refuge Opening Dates 2026 – Hut Planning Guide

Guides

4th May 2026Tom Baxter

The winter room at Refuge Albert 1er (Chamonix), which is actually the old hut, with a stove/fire, logs, mattresses and blankets.

Planning a hut trip in the Alps for 2026?
Refuge opening dates are the first thing you need to check.

We update this guide every season with the most relevant opening dates across France, Italy and Switzerland.

Once you know the dates, the next step is finding the right people and getting organized. That is where Oak comes in.

👉 Join the Alpine Hut Season group on Oak

Guarded Refuges vs Winter Rooms

One important thing to consider is the season in which huts are serviced. During guarded periods, you have access to meals and often more comfortable sleeping arrangements, such as smaller rooms with bunk beds. Outside these periods, typically only the winter rooms are available, usually offering larger dorm-style sleeping arrangements.

For some, the winter room offers a more remote and unique experience. However, for multi-hut tours, where careful gear selection and weight optimization are important, serviced huts are a luxury we truly appreciate. They allow us to stay longer and travel more efficiently in the mountains.

Some refuges have winter rooms, some don’t. A winter room can be equipped very differently according to the refuge - some have logs for the fire, electricity, and beautiful big windows, whilst others consist of a couple of mattresses in the cold, dark, basement. It’s important to research what each winter room offers before you commit. On this list, the opening dates correspond to when the refuges are guarded.