Refuge de Ricou

Refuge de Ricou is a backcountry alpine refuge (2115 m) in the Vallée de la Clarée, used as a stopover for longer hikes between Névache and the Cerces/Thabor area. It accommodates up to 19 guests and is typically approached as a 30-minute walk from the hamlet of Fontcouverte in summer, and about 2.5 hours from Névache in winter.

Bookings are handled by phone rather than online. Half-board rates for 2025 are €60 per adult, €50 for ages 12–18, €44 for ages 4–12, and €25 for under 4; winter cabin self-catering is €18 (tax included). The refuge does not accept credit cards, and there’s no cash machine in Névache. The refuge is open from early June to the end of November, with the Christmas period around New Year’s Day (late December/early January), plus autumn options around All Saints’ Day and weekends in October (weather permitting).

Access is by road to Névache, then down-valley to the hamlet of Fontcouverte; park there and follow the path to the right before the bridge. From the hamlet, a forest track leads toward Ricou (about a 30-minute walk in summer). A limited number of bookings are managed outside the website, and availability is controlled by the guardian.