Hiking over several days sometimes requires a bit of organisation. In fact, apart from the equipment and the food and water supplies, sometimes the routes do not form loops. It’s important to check where the route starts and finishes. Unfortunately, there are no shuttle buses in the Maurienne in summer to make it easier to get to the start of a tour.
As far as water is concerned, it is important to bear in mind that although springs are clear, they can sometimes be dangerous to drink because they are located in mountain pastures, etc. Livestock (both grazing animals and wildlife) drink from this water and faeces can also fall into it, making it unfit for consumption. Tablets sold in pharmacies can be used to make water drinkable if necessary. Water filter bottles can also be useful if there is no mention of “drinkable” springs on the itinerary.
Some refuges are not guarded, but open and freely accessible. They are maintained by local associations, and are often equipped with a table, chairs, a wood-burning stove and mattresses/beds. It is everyone’s responsibility to keep these places in good condition, to refill the wood if it has been used, etc. It is important to reserve a place in the guarded huts in advance. They can be full during the summer season and do not accept last-minute hikers.
