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Cirque de Cilaos © wanderingthinker
The Cirques
Réunion is a place of spectacular natural beauty and one
of its must-sees are its three main cirques, Cilaos, Mafate and
Salazie. A cirque (or caldera) is a natural amphitheatre, created
by a volcano collapsing in on itself. Salazie is perhaps the most
striking, covered with roughly 100 waterfalls, most notably The
Bride's Veil (
Le Voile de la Mariée) near Hell-Bourg,
as well as lush vegetation. Cilaos has long been the site of a spa
resort, boasting thermal baths for the wealthy inhabitants of the
area in the 1800s. It was also once a refuge for runaway slaves.
Today it still known for the Irene Accot Thermal Centre; a must for
weary hikers. Mafate is the most remote of the cirques and its name
is derived from the Malagasy for 'lethal,' illustrating the
difficulty of accessing the area. Mafate is dotted with tiny
hamlets (the largest is La Nouvelle) and there are no proper roads,
so the only access is on foot. The cirques provide unparalleled
hiking opportunities and unspoilt wilderness, and are within a few
hours of Saint-Denis.
