THE REFUGE

Space, calm, a timeless place, these are the hallmarks of the Refuge Giacomini.

A peaceful and timeless place, in the heart of the Anzeindaz mountain pasture, the Refuge Giacomini is located at an altitude of 1,893m, at the foot of the Diablerets Massif, on the Muverans, Diablerets and Argentine routes. Several climbing sites are a short distance from the Refuge Giacomini.

The calm permeates the large spaces that surround it, offering the opportunity to take a breath of fresh air. It is an opportunity to recharge your batteries and disconnect from the stresses of everyday life.

The Anzeindaz alpine pasture offers a multitude of activities, and is also renowned for its diverse flora and fauna. It is located in the heart of a large wildlife protection area, called the Frankish district of Grand Muveran.

Easily accessible on foot from Solalex, Derborence, or Pont de Nant, this is the ideal place to go hiking in the heart of the Vaud Alps, to discover the geology, the fauna, and the alpine flora of the area, to go climbing or mountain biking, simply to come and relax.

A LITTLE HISTORY

The Anzeinde Plateau was deeply marked by the Giacomini family, who are at the heart of this beautiful mountain inn that bears their name.

Rodolphe Giacomini was 16 in 1934, when he left Saint-Léonard in Valais to work as a porter at the Refuge de la Tour. He would spend ten years there, as a guide.

It was there that he learned to work hard for a modest salary, often acting as a mountain mule. His dream was to become a mountain guide, then to open his own restaurant.

In 1940, he graduated as a ski instructor. In 1945, with his guide license in his pocket, he united his destiny with Hélène.

From 1949, with a never wavering tenacity, Hélène and Rodolphe embarked upon the realization of their life project: to build their mountain inn. During this period, Rodolphe was also the guardian of the Cabane Barraud, a building overlooking the current Refuge Giacomini. The rubble stones of the Refuge are all sourced from the Sous-Vent quarry near Bex. Rodolphe brought them up one by one in his jeep. After five years of hard work, they served their first customer in the refuge on July 1^st 1954. Between them, they knew how to make Anzeinde a peaceful and warm place, attracting a multitude of people who came to seek calm, and to take the fresh alpine air.

Success was not long in coming and Rodolphe quickly decided to build a first annex. A second followed in 1964, and a third shortly after. Hélène and Rodolphe ensured the smooth operation of the Refuge until 1987. Rodolphe left us in 2000, Hélène in 2005.

They were followed by several owners who gradually transformed and improved the Refuge and its annexes. In 2009, fate dictated that a new Rodolphe would continue the work of the founder of his namesake, taking over the Refuge. In 2019, he celebrated his 10 years at the Refuge by organizing a range of activities to mark this milestone, and so the story continues…