The meeting at the Plan du Lac refuge is given for August 7. The participants of the Sun Trip France 2020 will set off from Val Cenis, in Haute-Maurienne-Vanoise, then climb 14 km (at 7.3% on average), to finally enter the Parc national de la Vanoise, with a special authorization.
Located at 2385 meters above sea level, the refuge will obviously be the highest leg of our tour of France. The access ends with a small road, usually reserved for farmers who work in these pastures. The panorama offers a 180° view of the Vanoise glaciers.
A leg in contact with nature which will also be an opportunity to enhance the energy self-sufficiency work of the refuge, completed in July 2019. 30 solar bikes around one of the first energy-efficient refuges, the image will be beautiful! The Sun Trip France will be there at its peak, 2 days before the final arrival in Albertville.
The installed solar power is 19 kWp, of which 6 kWp will be used for the production of domestic hot water. A large fleet of batteries also makes it possible to store the electrical energy necessary to guarantee autonomy for several days without the sun. This installation contributes to the energy mix allowing the refuge to function.
Since 2017, the Vanoise National Park has been implementing its tourism strategy which makes shelters an essential link in the reception and awareness-raising system for visitors. For these shelters, most often in isolated high altitude sites, the Park aims for optimal energy management and the proper use of natural resources, including water, with a constant search for innovative solutions. The objective of the Park is to gradually switch to 100% renewable energy for all its shelters in isolated sites, goal already reached for the Col du Palet refuge with its hydrogen fuel cell.
Beyond the solar aspect, the passage of the Plan du Lac refuge will be an opportunity to enhance the policy of the Vanoise National Park for the opening of nights in tents around certain refuges. This dynamic was further accelerated by the Covid crisis and the new induced health practices. In short, some will have the pleasure of sleeping in the immediate vicinity of the refuge.
Pictures of the refuge when it reopens in June 2020:
Find out more about the Parc national de la Vanoise :
