Mont Blanc’s Highest Hut

A spacecraft gently perches on the snowy ridge of Aiguille du Goûter and overlooks the Chamonix valley. The modernist refuge, Goûter Hut, is the last stop for intrepid climbers ascending Mount Blanc in the French Alps, the highest summit in Western Europe.

Shaped like an egg with four storeys, Refuge du Goûter is a protective husk from the elements, made from stainless steel and locally sourced larch and spruce; inside timber frames carve out a network of cosy bunks for rest, sleeping up to 120 intrepid mountaineers. Swiss architect Hervé Dessimoz was responsible for the design, and the refuge was built in 2012, replacing a run-down climber’s hut that was originally constructed in the 19th century.

The renovation allowed architect Hervé Dessimoz to create a mountain hut that was more in line with the surroundings, where emphasis was given to its environmental footprint. The hut is self-sufficient for energy and water, as snow slides down the side of the egg, is melted by solar panels and collected in a tank. These same solar panels generate heat and electricity. 

Logistically, building the hut was a challenge, which is why it took five years to complete. At 3,800 metres, much of the work had to be completed at ground level in a kit-build before being helicoptered to the site. Workers on the mountains were poised to receive the structure and attach it to supporting joists that were sunk 14-metres into the rock. The refuge also had to be built to endure winds of up to 186mph.

Above all, the hut was designed to give climbers a better experience while on the ascent to Mount Blanc, allowing a rest and refuel before the last push to the summit, in addition it also gave the climbers to chance to take stock of their surroundings and drink the majesty of the awe-inspiring peaks all around them, through the small square windows or on the panoramic viewing deck. A small respite and reward for their endeavours.