Bivouac · 2835 m
Bivacco Giusto Gervasutti al Fréboudze
Set on the rocky shelf above the Frébouzie glacier, at the foot of the Grandes Jorasses east face, the Gervasutti bivouac is one of the most photographed pieces of alpine architecture in the Alps: an orange cantilevered cylinder jutting over the void like an aircraft fuselage. A base for the great ice and mixed routes on the Italian side of the Mont Blanc massif.
Altitude
2835 m
Valley
Val Ferret
Beds
12
History
The original bivouac was placed in 1948 and named after Giusto Gervasutti, one of the greatest Italian climbers of the 20th century, who died on Mont Blanc du Tacul in 1946. In 2011 it was replaced by the current modular composite structure, designed by LEAPfactory and flown in by helicopter: twelve places, high-efficiency insulation and photovoltaic panels, now an icon of contemporary alpine design.
Contact & booking
Official manager details — always check opening dates and rates on the website before you go.
Where it is
45.8759, 7.0133 · 2835 m
What to bring
Everything you need to be self-sufficient: sleeping bag and mat (often absent or minimal), food and water or a small stove, layered and windproof clothing, a headlamp, a first-aid kit. No money is needed — the bivouac is free. Carry out all your waste.
What to do there
If you stay overnight, enjoy the silence and the starry sky far from any light. The reward for climbing this high is dawn from altitude: wake early, while the air is still clear, and watch it set the ridges alight. Which summits and passes you can reach depends on the area — check the routes on the trail pages above.
What is a bivouac
A bivouac is a small unmanned shelter, always open and free, placed at high altitude where a staffed hut could not exist. It was conceived to break up long traverses, to wait for first light before a climb, or as an emergency shelter in bad weather. There is no keeper and no services: you find what those before you have left. Hence the golden rule — leave it as clean and tidy as you would wish to find it.
Nearby peaks
Community gallery
Photos are published immediately. JPG/PNG/WebP, max 6 MB.
Source: OpenStreetMap contributors
Bivacco Giusto Gervasutti al Fréboudze