Article D326-1 of the French Tourism Code
A refuge is an establishment open to the public within the meaning of the article R. 143-2 du code de la construction et de l’habitation, whether manned or unmanned, situated at altitude in an isolated location. Its isolation is characterised by the absence of access either by road or by ski lift open to the public and by its inaccessibility for at least part of the year to emergency vehicles…