Refuge · 1985 m
Rifugio Vieux Crest
On the sunny Crest plateau above Champoluc, at about 1,980 metres, the Vieux Crest refuge combines mountain hospitality with dark-timber Walser-Ayas architecture. A classic belvedere over the head of the Ayas valley and the Monte Rosa massif, it is an Alta Via 1 stage and a panoramic goal reachable also by the Crest cable car.
1 / 2Altitude
1985 m
Valley
Ayas Valley
Beds
52
Opening
Year-round (winter opening for skiing)
Managed by
Privately managed
History
Restoration of a 17th-century Walser rascard: once a stable, barn and village school.
What to eat
Walser and Aosta Valley cuisine, polenta, chamois stew and local wines.
Indicative rates
Half-board roughly €55–75; book online.
Contact & booking
Official manager details — always check opening dates and rates on the website before you go.
Where it is
45.8334, 7.7393 · 1985 m
How to get there
- High Route 1 — Stage 6: Gressoney-Saint-Jean → Rifugio Vieux Crest12.7 km · +1427 mEE
- High Route 1 — Stage 7: Rifugio Vieux Crest → Rifugio Grand Tournalin11.6 km · +1162 mEE
- Crest - Mascognaz2.1 km · +0 mE
- Crest - Résy4.6 km · +262 mT
- TAPPA 06: Gressoney-Saint-Jean - Crest12.7 km · +1425 mE
- TAPPA 07: Crest - Rifugio Grand Tournalin11.4 km · +1165 mE
- Crest - Lac Chercherioz3.8 km · +428 mE
Recommended season
Year-round (winter opening for skiing)
Effort to reach it
Difficulty of the access trails: T–EE, +262–1427 m (CAI scale).
What to bring
A sleeping-bag liner (required in many huts), cash (cards are often not accepted at altitude), a change of clothes and warm layers for the evening, a headlamp, a water bottle. Always book your bed and meals in advance, and let the hut know if you cancel.
What to do there
Enjoy dinner in good company and the sunset from the terrace. Many use the hut as a base for a dawn departure: ask the keeper about trail and weather conditions before setting out, and start light while the snow is still firm. The climbing routes are on the trail pages above.
Nearby peaks
Community gallery
Photos are published immediately. JPG/PNG/WebP, max 6 MB.
Source: refugevieuxcrest.com · lovevda.it
Rifugio Vieux Crest