At an altitude of 2,000 metres, almost at the end of the world, just before the Italian border, the Toët is about to experience something very special. This winter, for the very first time, this family refuge nestling on the shores of Lake Mont-Cenis is opening its doors for the winter season. It's a rare, almost timeless adventure, led by Nathalie and Alexis, a couple in their fifties who have made the radical choice to live in winter where others just spend the summer.
The setting is spectacular. A lake frozen in the cold, peaks over 3,000 metres high against a backdrop of mineral silence disturbed only by the wind and the screech of skis. It was here, at Le Toët, the last refuge before Italy, that Alexis grew up.
Dog handler at Val Cenis In 2020, he took over the family farm building that had been converted into a refuge by his parents in the 1990s.
At the time, the idea was simple: to welcome summer. But as the seasons went by, something became clear. Winter here is more beautiful, more raw, more authentic. Alongside Alexis, Nathalie brings another facet to the place. A former head receptionist, she now manages reception, reservations, rooms and service.
He, the mountain expert and one-man band of the refuge, takes care of everything else: snow clearance, sometimes titanic when the snow exceeds one metre, monitoring the frost on the water supply from the spring 500 metres higher up, managing the firewood, daily repairs and constantly adapting to the extreme temperatures, which oscillate between -20 and +10 °C.
Dishes that comfort after exercise
Inside, the atmosphere is as warm and sincere as the place itself. There's no ostentatious luxury, just dishes that comfort after a hard day's work: fondues, tartiflettes, spätzle, polenta and homemade desserts, prepared with local produce from the Maurienne and the Italian Val de Suse, just twenty minutes away. Lunch in the sunshine overlooking Lake Mont-Cenis. In the evening, aperitifs are shared by the wood-burning stove in a rare conviviality.
The refuge sleeps 18 people in four bedrooms, with showers and bathrooms. Nathalie and Alexis have deliberately kept the number of beds to a minimum, as they insist on offering a human-scale welcome where you can take your time. Time to chat, to talk about the mountains, to share an unspoilt place. Whether they are locals passing through, skiers accompanied by Val Cenis instructors or curious hikers, everyone leaves with the feeling of having experienced something unique.
In winter, Toët has to be earned. Accessible only on skis or snowshoes, the refuge is surprisingly open to all abilities. Allow around 1h15 from the lift for a gradual and accessible approach, even for beginners in ski touring or snowshoeing. A measured effort, richly rewarded on arrival.
Even before its official opening on 27 January, the refuge is already fully booked on several dates. Requests are pouring in, so much so that Nathalie and Alexis are already planning a New Year's Eve party at the summit in 2026. Proof that this first winter season is meeting a strong expectation: that of rediscovering a real, lived-in mountain, experienced from the inside.