Chentre - Bionaz Bivouac

Altitude: 2,530 m
Location: Luseney- Becca di Luseney area 3,503 m
Sleeping places: 16
Open: always open
Difficulty: E
Trail sign: 14
Ascent: 2h45

The bivouac, inaugurated in 2010, is dedicated to Carlo Chentre, mayor of Bionaz from 1974 to 1990 and president of the local ski club, and to Ettore Bionaz, mountaineer, mountain guide, pioneer of mountain rescue in Valpelline and avalanche dog handler. He was the first guardian of the Crête Sèche refuge and mayor of Bionaz from 1970 to 1974, he tragically died on 24 July 1985 on the Mont Cerf glacier.

Access:
Park your car at the side of the road that leads to the Place Moulin dam and descend along the dirt track following the signs for the Chentre-Bionaz Bivouac and the Praz de Dieu alpine pasture.
Continue past the houses of La Ferrère and Pouillayes, then cross the bridge over the Buthier stream and after the chapel and the ruins of a house take the path going up in the wood alternating flat stretches with gently sloping ones. Cross the wooden gate that stands in the path and continue as far as a bifurcation close to the torrent. Leave the path that goes up into the Comba di Montagnayes and turn left following n° 14 that climbs to the small pass. The trail descends in the Comba des Arbières valley, crosses the Arbières torrent and continues towards the ruins of the alpine pasture Praz de Dieu. During the month of July the red flowers of the rhododendrons and the white ones of the paradise lilies stand out in the alpine meadows.
Above the Praz de Dieu pasture homes the trail enters the Mont Dzalou valley and beneath the shadow of a large rocky wall it rises steeply with sharp bends reaching the small pass and after a dozen metres along the ridge, you come to the Chentre-Bionaz Bivouac.
Inside and on the façade you can admire some works by the Dutch artist Arjen Bakermans.

Equipment: blankets, lighting, cooking material, stream water.