Grand is an understatement: the Grande Ruine (3,765 m) is one of the main peaks of the Écrins Massif. Wild and rising above the 4,000 meters of the Barre, the Écrins mountains are often overlooked or rather known only to an "initiated" audience—mostly French—who appreciate wide-open spaces, the spectacle of rock faces looming over glaciers hidden at their feet like precious stones, and above all, the distance from the crowds that now invade the more fashionable peaks.
Its ascent, while not presenting particular technical difficulties, requires the desire to enter these grand and silent environments on tiptoe, far from ski lifts and instead alive with a powerful nature protected by the Écrins National Park.

The Refuge Adèle Planchard—built in 1925 by the Dauphiné Tourist Society thanks to a legacy from the Belgian lady of the same name who was passionate about these mountains—is definitely an eagle's nest perched on a rocky ridge that rises from the Glacier de la Platte des Agneaux to the summit of Pic Maître, a secondary peak of the Grande Ruine.
Totally energy-independent, small but very welcoming, it offers a base that requires a few hours of walking to reach but leaves you speechless in terms of views.

The climb to the summit is not too long—just six hundred meters of elevation gain from the hut—and offers a route initially on a glacier suspended between rock walls, ending with a highly panoramic ridge of easy rock and snow. All around, the Écrins offer their "pearls," from the imposing southern wall of the Meije to the seracs of the Dôme des Neiges, from the distant Monviso to the even further but clearly visible Matterhorn, Monte Rosa, and Mont Blanc.

Note: the ascent to the Grande Ruine is a mountaineering climb that requires good hiking fitness and standard mountaineering equipment: boots with Vibram soles or similar, crampons, ice axe, harness, helmet, and headlamp. A sleeping bag liner is required for the overnight stay in the hut.

This program will take you into the heart of the Écrins Massif, one of the wildest and most pristine corners of the Alps. Because of these characteristics, it has been designed and will be carried out with the accompaniment of UIAGM Mountain Guides from Globalmountain – Cuneo Mountain Guides, professionals specialized in high-altitude environments.