Fontaine Noire

The place

Sleeping places planned: 16 Places with mattress: 14 This is a set of 4 buildings: a large main building, a wood shelter/workshop, a covered barbecue and toilets (which used to be flushed by diverting the stream, but now a bucket is provided instead). This chalet is fairly poorly insulated, with drafts and a sheet-metal roof that loses heat quickly. Despite the very large stove, it burns through wood fast and, since it smokes, you won't want to leave it going for long. Bring sleeping bags suited to the weather. Inventory 09/2025: - 3 tables seating about 20 people total, with benches and 2 chairs. - A huge stove that still smokes quite a bit (holes in the flue, patched with aluminum foil) - mezzanine sleeping area with 4 double mattresses, 5 single mattresses and one smaller child-size mattress (there's still a bit of floor space for 2 more mattresses, maybe a little more if people squeeze in) - sink and running water (not working); let the water run in winter to keep the pipes from freezing - a large covered outdoor barbecue - a broom, a snow shovel - 2 or 3 frying pans - no cutlery or dishes (just 3 plastic plates at most) - no saw, no axe, no tools - a fire extinguisher. Unfortunately no view, as it faces east and is surrounded by very tall spruce trees! Sunlight hours are limited... Mobile network: variable, you need to step outside and move away a bit to get 4G on Orange. == Access from the Maurienne valley == Take the St Pierre de Belleville exit off the motorway, follow the road to the place called "Le Châtelet"; a hiking trail starts from Le Châtelet and crosses the paved road many times. At around 900 m elevation, the road becomes an unpaved forest track, still driveable but hard to go fast on. No fewer than 18 endless switchbacks on this track will bring you almost right to the chalet's door. In winter, if you have to park at the bottom of this road, the climb up can be long and monotonous. == From [->505] == Allow 45 minutes; a very rough track heads up the slope to the east from [->505] and then joins another in much better condition. == From [->90] == About 1 hour from the west via the forest track, though fortunately you can regularly cut across the switchbacks. A good half hour from the optical relay post. Marked "Chalet communal" — is it the municipality of St Pierre de Belleville that manages it?