Cirque de Salazie - Cirque de Mafate - Cirque de Cilaos - Volcano - St. Gilles
1st Day: Flight from Germany to Réunion
Flight with Emirates & Air Mauritius (Monday, Thursday, Saturday) from Munich, Frankfurt,
Düsseldorf via Dubai to Mauritius.
2nd Day: Arrival on Réunion
When arriving at the airport, you will receive your detailed route information,
maps and your rental car for your stay at Réunion. With your rental car, you
will go to the Hotel Juliette Dodu, where you will spend your first night.
Hotel Juliette Dodu
The famous French heroin Juliette Dodu was born in this typical Creole house which has
been converted into a hotel and completely renovated. Rooms/Accommodation: 43 comfortable furnished rooms with air-conditioning, bathroom,
TV, telephone, hairdryer, fax and modem port. The Suites also have a minibar. The hotel
offers a library, swimming pool, Jacuzzi, bar and restaurant. Room service is available round
the clock. Entertainment: Near the hotel is a bank, restaurants, shops, cinemas, casino
and a night club.
3rd Day: St. Denis - Cirque de Salazie
In any case, we recommend a trip to the Cirque de Salazie: The old town of
Hell-Bourg (driving time about one hour) used to be a recreational spot famous
for its pleasant climate and the thermal springs until the time of the
landslide.
4th Day: Cirque de Salazie Cirque Mafate Cirque de Salazie
Trekking-fans could go by car up to the parking lot at the Col des Boeufs
(driving time from St. Denis about two hours) and then start a trekking tour to
La Nouvelle in the Cirque de Mafate and back (about 4.5 hours)!
5th Day: Hell-Bourg - Volcano
Today you will go to the volcano Piton de Fournaise. Here, you can make short
hiking tours in the evening. You will spend the night on the foot of the volcano
in the Hotel L'Ecrin.
Hotel L'Ecrin
This little middle-class hotel is situated only a couple of minutes off the
Route du Volcan. The museum Maison du Volcan is only 200 m from the
hotel. Rooms/Accommodation:
The hotel offers accommodation for 22 persons in Standard Rooms as well as in
bungalows. Especially worth mentioning is the hotel restaurant, which is praised
by the guests as well as by the local people. Activities:
In the nearby surroundings are opportunities for mountainbiking, horse-riding
and hiking tours.
6th Day: Volcano - Hikes
Early in the morning we suggest the 50-minute drive to the parking lot at the
edge of the crater. We highly recommend to get up early in the morning for the
5-hour trekking tour around the edge of the crater, because the peak of the
volcano gets mostly clouded around midday on most days. Afterwards, you will
drive to the south coast and back to the interior to Cilaos. Here, we recommend
one night in the Hotel Les Chenets.
Hotel Les Chenets
This little hotel combines elegance with the typical Creole style and is
situated in the picturesque area of the crater valley of Cilaos. Rooms/Accommodation:
Each of the 17 rooms has a view onto the mountains of Cilaos and features
toilet, shower/bath, hairdryer, adjustable heating, telephone, TV with
satellite-channels and mini bar. The hotel comprises of a restaurant with
French and Creole cuisine, two bars, sauna, steam room, heated swimming pool,
library and hairdresser. Babysitter-services available. Activities:
Guests of the Les Chenets Hotel can rent mountain bikes, take part in excursions
and use the free transfer to the helicopter airport. Canyoning, climbing,
trekking and tennis are also available.
7th Day: Cilaos
Also for visitors who are not interested in hiking or who are already acquainted
with the Cirque des Salazie, this driving up to the top is worthwhile in any
case, because the bottom of the volcano is 100 km² wide and
1200 m deep and offers an unique outline not to be found elsewhere
on the island. The only access is the N 5, which is 38 km
long and can be reached easily via St. Louis. The village of Cilaos is situated
almost in the center of the basin and offers a phantastic view onto the peaks of
the Piton des Neiges, Le Grand Bénard and die Troi Salazes. Also the thermal
springs are worthwhile visiting.
8th - 13th Day: Cilaos - St. Gilles
Today you will be driving back to the coast to St. Gilles, where you will spend
six nights in the Hotel Le Nautile.
Le Nautile
The Hotel Le Nautile consists of 43 rooms and suites with Creole charm and a
relaxed interior design. Le Nautile lies directly on the dreamlike Hermitage
Bay, one of the most beautiful beaches on the island, and the wonderful village
La Saline les Baines. Rooms:
The rooms are all very tastefully designed and each has a shower/bath, toilet,
mini bar, TV/radio, Fax-Modem and an electronically controlled air conditioning
which has a remote control. The hotel has a 220 m² swimming pool,
bar, restaurant, library and whirlpool. Activities:
In the village are various shopping possibilities, bars and restaurants. Every
Saturday is a Sega evening in the hotel. And it is a mere ten minute long taxi
ride to the diving station in St. Gilles or St. Leu.
