is also an option and there are a number of airports within 2 to 3hrs of the valley. Lyon, Turin, Chambéry and Geneva are all within striking distance, and the smaller airports offer quick check-in and arrival procedures, so you can be on the road in a hire car in no time.
Dent Parrachée from the Bellecombe road in winter. Perfect easy ski touring and snowshoeing abounds
Camping Mélèzes: a peaceful and shaded site that makes a perfect base camp within easy walking distance of Termignon village centre
When to go
The Maurienne valley is an outdoor adventure wonderland and offers winter sports for all, including renowned ski touring in late springtime. Snowshoeing is also popular right up until mid-to late May when the road passes begin to be opened up. What might be considered UK winter conditions will prevail in the higher mountains into June. The summer season really begins in July and extends through to late September. Early season snow will lie on the upper mountains in July and bare ice will be all that remains from late August. Almost all the routes in this guide will be snow and ice-free from mid-July onwards.
One event to bear in mind if planning a visit in July is the Tour de France cycle race. If the route follows the valley then there will be very heavy road congestion and all camping facilities will be fully booked.
Accommodation
Termignon is a reasonably central base for the Haute Maurienne. It is a quiet village situated about halfway along the valley, meaning you can easily access the climbing and via ferratas lower down the valley, the side valleys, the national park and the upper valley. The village has a tourist information centre (which posts a three-day weather forecast in English updated daily and has free internet access), an ATM, a new supermarket and petrol station, cave de vin selling many local wines, local produce shop, equipment shop, a few bars and a couple of restaurants, along with a few fabulous cheese shops.
There is an abundance of self-catering accommodation available at Termignon's new apartment complex. These are clean, well-appointed apartments only finished in 2006. The view from the pool/gym area is a breathtaking vista of la Dent Parrachée.
There is a great campsite in the village offering two venues, one by the river in the shade and the other slightly higher in the sunshine. Site fees are very good value: in 2009 it cost slightly over €10 per night for a large pitch, a car and two people. It is clean and has plenty of hot water throughout the day. (You don't need to worry about grabbing a shower before the hot water runs out!) A little van selling bread and croissants signals its arrival with a cheerful beeping at 8.30 each morning.
Lanslebourg is the largest village after Modane and offers plenty of choice of accommodation. It also has a number of banks, equipment shops, restaurants and other shops (including a pharmacy).
Modane is a large town, and most people will pass through on their journey to the upper valley. There are two supermarkets, one at each end of town; both have petrol stations. There is an interesting range of shops including an organic supermarket, l'Esprit Vert, which also stocks a small range of vegetarian foods (an uncommon find in France and a welcome one for any committed vegetarian in a group).
There are plenty of other campsites and rental accommodation throughout the valley – they are similarly priced to Termignon and offer quiet sites in picturesque surroundings.
Mountain refuges
The range of refuges in the mountains is very welcome whether as a base for a multi-day adventure, a single night as a launch pad to a summit or just for a welcome drink or spot of lunch. Many of them are owned by the French Alpine Club (CAF), while others are owned by the national park (PNV) and some are privately run. Costs are broadly similar but do vary from hut to hut, with demi-pension (three-course evening meal, dormitory bed and breakfast) costing around €40 in 2011.
There is a certain refuge etiquette which should be observed when staying in mountain huts. If you transgress these unwritten rules you can expect scowls and displeasure from the guardian!
First, and probably most important of all, is to pre-book. Turning up on spec means the hut may already be full, although the guardian is unlikely to turn you away it could mean you spend the night on the floor of the dining room with a blanket, in the woodshed (as happened to a friend in Austria) or in a corridor. None of these are particularly appealing options; a simple phone call can avoid such discomfort. It is possible to book huts further in advance via tourist information offices or via email from the CAF website and this is recommended in the height of summer, especially at weekends.
The Vallonbrun Refuge nestled into its hidden valley with Dent Parrachée in the distance (Routes 2 and 49)
On arrival remove your boots in the porch/entrance hall. Put them in a pigeon hole (or whatever storage is present) and put on the clogs or slippers provided (or put on your own if you have decided to carry them). Then report to the guardian. Never enter in your boots – you will be scowled at (or worse) and it will instantly identify you as a novice and foreigner to mountain huts. The guardian and his/her assistants spend a lot of time keeping the refuge clean and will not welcome muddy footprints across their dining room floor.
If you have a British Mountaineering Club (BMC) or Austrian Alpine Club (AAC) reciprocal rights card present it to the guardian as you register for a reduction in fees – these are only usually accepted at Club Alpin Français (CAF) huts. Tell him/her your plans for tomorrow as you will be placed in a dormitory with people needing to get up at a similar time. (This is more of an issue when you are climbing and therefore need to get up at 4am or even earlier!) It is also worth being aware that there are no single-sex dormitories; they are all mixed.
At this point you will be asked whether you want evening meals and may be allocated first or second sitting if it is really busy. Vegetarians need a good sense of humour as evening meals often consist of eggs and something or pasta and sauce – tell the guardian of any special dietary requirements when you book in. It is also possible to self-cater and huts carry a range of implements but charge for the use of the stove and gas.
Lights out is usually relatively early (9 or 10pm); sort your kit out well before then. When you arrive take wet things to the drying room then organise your other kit: lay out your sheet sleeping bag, find your headtorch, wallet and other belongings. You will be the most unpopular dormitory resident if you start rummaging for things when others are trying to sleep.
Pay your bill before you go to bed. The guardian is usually very busy in the morning and you might waste a lot of time waiting for him/her to be available, while everyone else is setting off. Ensure you have cash as very few huts take credit cards.
Don't forget to check the drying room before you leave; it could be a long trek back for anything you've left behind!
Language
Typical signposting
French is the language of the region, but Italian is also spoken as the region has had long-standing links with Italy; indeed ‘ciao’ is the standard greeting in the upper valley. English is spoken in tourist information centres but not necessarily by all staff. Younger members of staff often have a smattering of English but fluent English speakers are few and far between.
