Chalet de l'Aigle (Mt Lozère)

The place

Sleeping capacity: 6. Masonry building bordering a clearing used by foresters to maneuver or store logs. A single room with a table, benches, and a fireplace that draws well once warmed up (do not block the small fresh-air intake duct on the side). Metal rungs set into the west wall lead up to a loft: a mezzanine with flooring that stops 1 m short of the north wall where the fireplace is (no guard rail! watch out for sleepwalkers). No bed frame or mattress, so bring something to soften the floor... A broom is sometimes found here, but the equipment varies. The joinery (one window in addition to the front door) was in good condition on my last visit (1999), though a pane is occasionally missing. The shelter is sometimes targeted by vandals, given its location. On the other hand, I once met a man from Nîmes who had arrived by 4x4 and was busy replacing a pane and re-screwing the shutters... a true lover of the place: they do exist! Firewood is abundant in the surroundings, though it's starting to be well cleared out: but access is easy to look for more further down or higher up. Water can be an issue depending on the season and weather, but going 200 m up the forest track, you'll find a stream running along the ditch on the left. It is nonetheless wise to treat it: the vast Lozère pastures are not empty during the summer grazing season. The cabin is very faithfully visited by dormice... watch your food supplies! A good starting point (or ending point), for example on an E-W crossing of the Lozère (or N-S), or plenty of other routes, especially in winter, when the feeling of isolation is striking. Can be combined with other shelters in the massif. For those who don't like loops, there's an SNCF train station at the eastern end, namely Villefort (or Génolhac), while to the west there's the Mende station. Mont Lozère sector - East. SW of Villefort, about 1000 meters as the crow flies ENE of Pic Cassini. Accessible via forest tracks from the west (from Col de Finiels), from the east (road to [->1729]). Or via a path (known as the "path of the Eagle") following the right bank of the Paillère valley from the D 66 up to Col de l'Aigle, where it joins the path coming from [->1729]. For rail access, you can check this page, or the SNCF website, if it still deigns to take an interest in... trains. ONF