The Diagonal - Crossing Reunion Island by trekking

After leaving Aurère , you follow the GRR2 trail towards several hamlets nestled in the cirque. The path crosses wooded ravines and lush undergrowth , leading first to Îlet à Malheur , then to Îlet à Bourse . At the end of the day, you reach Grand-Place , a hamlet perched between cliffs and valley, where you spend the night in a gîte (rural guesthouse).

This more packed day takes you through several iconic islets of the cirque. Leaving Grand-Place , you pass through Cayenne , Les Lataniers then Les Orangers , before reaching La Brèche and, a little further on, the islet of Roche Plate , where you spend the night.

For those who wish, a more direct but steeper variant takes the Dacerle trail , with a sustained climb after the Roche Ancrée basin , a wild and spectacular place.

You join the GRR3 , which runs along the Maïdo rampart in a spectacular setting. The trail leads you to the Trois Roches site, where the river cascades into a deep gorge. You then follow the rocky bed of the Rivière des Galets , between boulders and sparse vegetation, before reaching the Marla plateau , perched at over 1600m altitude. Overnight stay in a gîte in this isolated village, the highest in the cirque.

We leave the Mafate cirque to reach the Cilaos cirque via the Col du Taïbit , the only passage between the two cirques. We cross the road to Îlet à Cordes, then descend to the bottom of the Bras Rouge river to discover the waterfall of the same name. A final climb up the shaded ravine leads us to the town of Cilaos . Unless, of course, the desire to linger longer in the streets of Cilaos led us to take the bus at the intersection with the Îlet à Cordes road…

We find our luggage in Cilaos for the night.

6 H / 11 KM / D+ 700 M / D- 1100 M

After a welcome rest, we will take a city bus (3 km, 10 minutes) to the start of the Bloc trail in the early afternoon. We will begin the ascent of the steep, verdant escarpment, arriving at the Caverne Dufour refuge at the end of the day to enjoy the extraordinary colors of the sunset at almost 2500 m altitude, around the traditional "cari".

4 H / 4.5 KM / D+ 1100 M / D- 0 M

After a short night and a hot drink, we begin our ascent to the summit in the dark, to witness the extraordinary spectacle of sunrise over the highest point in the Indian Ocean—an unforgettable moment! We then descend back to the refuge for breakfast. From there, we set off on the long and magnificent GRR2 trail, passing through the Kerveguen hillside , the Bébour forest , and then the Plaine des Cafres forest . A quick transfer takes us to the village of Bourg Murat .

8 H / 18 KM / D+ 700 M / D- 1100 M

A change of atmosphere, a change of mountain range! We leave behind the Piton des Neiges to enter the domain of the Piton de la Fournaise . A magnificent, gradual ascent, through pastures, heather-covered plains, and across the "Martian" Plaine des Sables, where we will sleep at the foot of the volcano's summit cone.

7 H / 18 KM / D+ 900 M / D- 250 M

A day trip to the summit of one of the world's most active volcanoes! The stark, mineral landscape and recent lava flows give this place an exceptional character. Eruptions, fountains, flows, scree, and ropy lava will hold no more secrets for you after this day.

6 H / 12 KM / D+ 500 M / D- 500 M

We walk along the rampart of the Fouqué enclosure , paying a final respect to the summit of the volcano, before descending its southern face. This long, wild path, dotted with volcanic cones, plunges into the lush forest and offers sublime views of the " Wild South " coast.

8 H / 18 KM / D+ 100 M / D- 1800 M

Our final hike to reach the coast takes us through plantations of palm trees, vanilla, and fruit orchards typical of the south coast. We'll share a picnic at Cap Méchant , enjoying our last moments at the foot of the volcano.

3 H / 5 KM / D+ 0 M / D- 600 M