LONGON, an alpine pasture, a refuge

SEASON 2025: The Longon refuge will be open from Saturday, May 31st until early October.

We may consider a pre-opening for the Ascension weekend if weather conditions allow. There are no areas accessible in winter.

We offer accommodation for rent with half-board and lunchtime meals, featuring a shepherd’s snack or a full mountain pasture lunch for groups by reservation.

Services

We offer 3 types of half-board accommodation:

• In a small dormitory (maximum 6 people) with shared facilities, at €68 per adult.

• In a family/friends room with private facilities (minimum 4 people, maximum 6 people), at €78 per adult.

• In a double room with private facilities, at €88 per adult. (It is possible to add an extra bed to make it a room for 3 people.)

For children up to 10 years old, the half-board in the dormitory is €48, and €68 in a room.

Details

The half-board includes a mountain pasture dinner with a welcome drink and socca (a traditional Nice dish), as well as a full breakfast.

We provide pillowcases and fitted sheets. Blankets are available. Sleeping bags or duvets are strongly recommended; we also offer sleeping bags and bath linen for rent at an additional cost. We can prepare packed lunches upon request for the following day.

Reservations are now open by email at the following address: refugelongon@gmail.com. We only require deposits for group bookings. Payment is made on-site by bank check or cash; we do not accept credit cards, and there is no network or Wi-Fi available.

Once open, the refuge can be reached by satellite phone at +33 4 93 02 83 99, which does not take messages. Pets are not allowed, as we are in the central zone of the Mercantour National Park. We do not permit camping around the shelter due to the presence of herds and guardian dogs, as well as the regulations of the National Park.

At the pace of the mountain pasture...

At an altitude of 2000m, the high mountain pastures welcome the herds until autumn. The family and the cheese dairy settle up there, more than an hour's walk from the nearest road and the winter farm in Roure.

The mountain pasture also lives to the rhythm of hikers, whom we welcome for a meal or a night in the old pastoral barn, now refurbished into a shelter with rooms and dormitories, as well as a cheese-making workshop. We serve generous meals inspired by farm life, dairy, and cheesemaking.

Donkey transport is also part of our daily routine, to bring fresh products to the store. At the end of the summer season, the cheeses will be helicoptered down to the valley, along with the milking and cheese-making equipment. The family and herds will return to their autumn quarters.