From Cilaos to Plaine des Cafres
Tuesday, May 12
After breakfast we pay a short visit to the village of Ilet
At the highest point of the route we pass a cliff face that is very popular with climbers. We watch entire families practicing. There are also numerous trailheads for hikes into the surrounding area, and should your energy run low, bus stops appear at regular intervals
Cilaos to Saint-Pierre
Now it's back via Cilaos toward Saint-Pierre. On the way a digger blocks our path while hoisting a car out of a ditch, then the single-lane mountain tunnel gets "clogged." They seem well accustomed to this sort of thing here, because within minutes everything is sorted and we can continue along the spectacular N5 toward Saint-Louis.
Extra Tip:
We skip the planned sightseeing and beach break in Saint-Pierre due to major construction work and rain. If you have the chance, the town hall and various houses of worship are worth a visit.
A tip for plant lovers: "Exotica". A quirky garden 6 km west of Saint-Pierre on the D26. Papier-m
From Saint-Pierre it takes us an hour via Le Tampon to reach our accommodation, Le Geraniums, in Plaine des Cafres.
But first we head toward Piton de la Fournaise. After half an hour on the Route du Volcan we reach the viewpoint Nez de Boeuf. An incredible vista opens up over the deep river valley of Rivi
At Piton de la Fournaise
Hiking trails are now signposted everywhere, until after another 15 minutes the road ends in a volcanic gravel track.
We cross what appears to be an old caldera, La Plaine des Sables, until after about 4 km we reach the car park at Pas de Bellecombe. We are overwhelmed by the extraordinary view of the Enclos Fouqu
Continue reading the La Reunion trip report: The Volcano Piton de La Fournaise.
