The Louvie hut, oasis of contentment and serenity | Verbier – Val de Bagnes

People familiar with the place know all these things are true. Louvie is an enchanted spot that gives free rein to your daydreams. The minute you set foot on these broad flower-filled meadows, you begin to forget your everyday life. A complete escape to the land where marmots play! Once there, you’re overcome by feeling of contentment that allows you to do nothing other than gaze into the emerald-green reflections of this picturesque Alpine lake, elated by the natural beauty, or follow the marked trails in search of the flora and fauna. Ibexes – not overly shy – or chamois may even come to greet you in person. Hard to believe? You’ll have to come and see. Get your walking boots on and come up to meet Claudia, the mountain hut warden.

You’ll soon find out how deeply attached she is to this place, And has been for quite a long time. She’s been making the climb up here with undisguised pleasure since 1997. After starting out as the loyal colleague of Ann Gattoni, the hut’s guiding light for 20 years, she finally took on the mantle herself, extending the tradition of 100% female stewardship! And even though the hut is open only from June to October, Claudia is thinking about it all year round. Winter is a time of non-stop preparation for the coming season. Between visits to local producers, she’s thinking of the best way to make her guests’ stays even more enjoyable. While Claudia is a superb cook (the menu prominently features dishes from the Canton of Valais, fondues, polentas and croûtes au fromage), what gives her the greatest satisfaction is looking after her customers. Along with Joachim, her right-hand man, and the rest of the team (not forgetting Chips, the affectionate cat), she is prepared to go that extra mile to provide visitors with a stay they will not forget, chatting with them in both French and English.

The Louvie summer pastures saw its first buildings go up at the start of the nineteenth century – community stables to give livestock some welcome shelter. Today, these vaulted stables are a proud feature of the Bagnes district’s heritage; they can be found throughout the region and admired when walking one of the iconic trails. During the twentieth century, irrigation work was undertaken, including construction of the small dam that gave rise to the Lac de Louvie and the “Louvie-Pas-du-Lin” aqueduct. This still connects Louvie to Les Ruinettes today, contributing to Verbier’s water supply. The first refuge was built towards the end of the 1960s. It was replaced in 1997 by the Louvie mountain hut that we now see, perched 2250 m above sea level, upstream of the lake, nestling in the very heart of Switzerland’s second biggest nature reserve. How impressive it stands, proudly facing the Massif des Combins! If you want to see it with your own eyes, it’s two hours walk from Fionnay, and four if you set out from above Verbier. The spacious and comfortable Louvie mountain hut can accommodate up to 58 people in dormitory accommodation; it also has two small double rooms.

And if you think spending a night in a mountain hut means rough prickly blankets, Claudia will soon help you change your mind! In her abode, you’ll sleep under a soft duvet, after enjoying a delicious meal featured on that day’s menu. The icing on the cake is that the VIP pass (which Claudia gives her guests when they make a reservation) gives you free use of public transport and cable cars.Being on several Alpine itineraries and mountain trails (Tour des cabanes, Tour du Val de Bagnes, Haute Route Chamonix-Zermatt, Trail no. 6), the Louvie mountain hut often provides a crucial overnight stop for experienced hikers. But what if you’re not super-fit but would still like to get to know these magical places, fill your lungs with fresh air and try the traditional local cuisine? No worries! Access from Fionnay is fairly straightforward. And while the main regional focus is on hiking, the presence of rainbow and lake trout in the Lac de Louvie will no doubt warm the hearts of fly-fishing enthusiasts (day permits are on sale at the hut).

Lastly, whatever your reason for going to Louvie, don’t leave without trying one of the sun loungers in front of the hut, absorbing the mountain stillness and marvelling at the sunset – or sunrise – on one of the nearby peaks. Claudia is looking forward to seeing you.