Le Buet to Refuge de la Pierre a Berard

The start point is in the village of Le Buet which is just down from Vallorcine. The path starts opposite the train station car park before the Hotel Le Buet. It leads through the nursery lifts in this area. The beginning of the hike is fairly steep in parts but once it opens out into the valley it's a pretty shallow ascent.

The large waterfall complete with viewing station and small cafe (open only in the peak summer season) is only 10 minutes from the the start. A lot of families hike up to this part and just beyond to enjoy lazy summer picnics by the river. 

There are no deviations from the path, so once you are on it you can't really go wrong. It leads along the river through the forest and then out into the valley. You'll cross plenty of streams, especially in May and early June when the snow is still melting. There are often plenty of Ibexs around as well as Marmots. The Ibexs are used to people and will move out of your way, but they should approach with caution. 

The walk to the refuge takes approximately two hours and about the same amount of time back. 

For a detailed map, we recommend a 'Carte Sentiers' from the Tourist Office and has details of all routes in the valley.