Hautes-alpes authorities have created a ‘Lys Martagon’ quality label for the 47 climbers huts situated within its region.

The French quality mark is intended to take account of both comfort and security for guests.

While the French national syndicate of climbers’ huts and gites’ caretakers regrets having “too many different quality labels which encourages confusion for walkers and climbers”, the local tourism authorities are more encouraging towards the new labels.

Between 2000 and 2003, the Hautes-alpes department put 500,000 euros into improving the huts and staffing them. Jean-Michel Reymond, head of tourism in the region, said: “We don’t know if the label will be accepted generally, but our quality mark has already interested the Savoire department.”