When Edward Whymper and his guides climbed the Grandes Jorasses in 1864 they started off on foot from Pré-Saint-Didier. The fact that theirs was an exceptional exploit is demonstrated by the rapid construction of the first hut on these rocks which was then replaced by the current refuge. Opening to one of the most demanding mountains in the range, the refuge is an excellent destination for well-trained escursionists and those able to manage the steep rocks of the final stretch.