"The High Life", the daily life of a family in a refuge high up in the Chamonix valley.

ByTravesía Pirenaica
High On Life, Photo: Patagonia
High On Life, Photo: Patagonia

PATAGONIA'S NEW STORY "THE HIGH LIFE" FOLLOWS THE DAILY LIFE OF A FAMILY IN A REFUGE HIGH IN THE VALLEY OF CHAMONIX.


January 2023 - This week, Patagonia presents The High Life, a new documentary that looks at life with young children at Le Refuge de la Charpoua in the French Alps.

Built in 1904 from pine planks transported on the back of the Chamonix Alpine Sports Club, the historic Refuge de la Charpoua is an essential stop for mountaineers climbing the legendary peaks of Les Drus. The hut, which serves as both the starting and finishing point for many fabulous mountain routes and demanding modern climbs, can only be reached after a long ascent on foot from the Montenvers railway station.

This is the last season of Le Refuge de la Charpoua, which is both the oldest and the smallest refuge in Chamonix. At the end of this year, it will be demolished and rebuilt. The old structure has been compromised by rotten wood and would not last long anyway. It is a necessary reconstruction. But it also means it is the last chance for Cartier and his family to escape to their refuge.

Tough staircases, glacier crossings and unstable moraines are part of the path to the hut, which is far from being a stroll through the park. It is by no means a refuge for tourists; only the most experienced climbers and a few stubborn hikers manage to cross its threshold.

Eight years ago, Sarah Cartier, a young woman from Chamonix ready to be her own boss, decided to take over this remote post on her own. From mid-June to the end of August, she offers accommodation and food to climbers, provides them with information, monitors their progress and administers first aid if necessary. Sarah has never considered giving up her job as hut manager or giving up her family.

With the support of his partner, Noé, he found a way to adapt his family life to the high mountains. "Having children here has led to a certain readjustment of relationships," explains Sarah. "When some of the climbers find out that I'm raising my children here on my own, they admit that climbing Les Drus is no big deal.

Sarah and the children get up at 6:45 every morning. to prepare the 7 o'clock breakfast and tidy up any mess left over from the 2 a.m. meals at the hut. Then they share coffee with relaxed hikers or other people who have slept at the hut, already back from big mountain goals. After that, all the typical work of a host: washing the dishes, making the beds, checking the bills and cooking for dinner. Sarah tries to do most of her chores in the morning so that the kids can stay in the hut, either for the weather or for safety, while mum is preoccupied. And like many people who work with their children in tow, Sarah often finds herself with Camille tied tightly to her.

When the weather is nice, Sarah takes the playpen outside. When it's not, she prepares a basic dough and helps Armand sculpt representations of the storm noises they hear outside. What do wind and hail look like in the form of monster dough? You have to visit Charpoua to find out.