Auberge de la Nova Basics
45.6965, 6.7337
55 beds
Dormitories & Private Rooms available
Bookings typically open in late-September
Opening dates: June – September
Book at AuTourduMontBlanc.com
Tell : +33 (0)9 82 12 64 35
Auberge de la Nova is one of two accommodation options available in the tiny hamlet of Les Chapieux. You’ll notice the auberge as you descend on the TMB into Les Chapieux and it is many hikers first stop as the inviting patio draws you in.
The Auberge has 55 beds available with both dormitory accommodation as well as private rooms on offer.
Booking are made via the Au Tour du Mont Blanc website and open in late-September or early-October for the following season. Keep in mind that bookings here are quite competitive and tend to sell out very quickly given the lack of options in Les Chapieux.
Read on below for a detailed description of what it is like to stay at Auberge de la Nova while hiking the Tour du Mont Blanc!
Auberge de la Nova Experience
Photos & Write Up Contributed by: Neuza Rodrigues
Auberge de La Nova is a large refuge with capacity for 55 people that can choose to stay in dormitories or private rooms.
It is located in a beautiful valley that has a small grocery store opened until 7 pm that sells drinks and snacks and a pizzeria opened until 8.30pm. There is also a bus stop to go to Ville des Glaciers and Parking des Mottets.
In the valley there is no service (neither 2G nor 3G) and Auberge de La Nova has no wifi, however it is possible to buy 30min internet for €3 at the grocery store.
The hut ambiance is less familiar and less welcoming than in other huts, the common area is also an area to consume drinks and food from the restaurant and as soon as we landed the backpacks and even before checking-in someone came to us asking what we wanted to drink, it didn’t make us feel very welcome.
Breakfast and dinner was included in our reservation, but it was necessary to ask about it, unlike other huts that information was not sent in the booking email, and at check-in they didn’t give us any information.
The showers were great! With hot water and good pressure without paying any extra, it has a separate private area which allows us to dry and dress easily. After 9.45pm it is requested to not use the showers to not disturb people’s rest. Both showers and bathrooms were very clean.
Our dorm room was behind the shower area, we had to go through the showers room to enter the dorm. The dorms have cabbie holes to store backpacks and personal belongings (one for each bed) and there were two electrical outlets in our 8-bed dorm room, but we were lucky that two people brought a multiport charger that we shared.
Dinner is served at 7pm and consisted of a meat stew with potatoes and panacotta for dessert.
The restaurant is open between 9am and 8pm and doesn’t accept credit cards.
The buffet breakfast had bread, butter, jam, cereal, Greek yogurt, coffee and apple puree. The yogurt was a pleasant surprise, it was quite satisfying to eat a breakfast with more protein.
The refuge has a picnic option, which can be requested in advance or the night before, it consisted of a cheese and ham sandwich, an apple, a whole tomato, chips and a small Mars bar.
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