Visit Piton de la Fournaise

Piton de la Fournaise is located on Reunion Island and ranks among the five most active volcanoes on the planet. It provides travelers and residents alike with magnificent displays of fire, as impressive as they are breathtaking. A major tourist attraction on the island, it is open to visitors and constantly monitored. Here are some useful pieces of information for reaching its summit.

The Piton de la Fournaise, majestic volcano

The Piton de La Fournaise is the only volcano in Reunion Island, with a height reaching 2632 meters, slightly lower than its counterpart, the Piton des Neiges, an extinct volcano, but the highest peak in the Indian Ocean, rising to 3071 meters. As the region's premier tourist site, it welcomes 400,000 visitors each year. Numerous marked trails surround it, allowing visitors to stroll through its desert-like enclosure. Also, if you're fond of horseback riding, horseback rides are organized in the Plaine des Sables, unless you prefer riding the slopes of the Piton de La Fournaise on mountain bikes... The volcano lends itself to all sorts of sensations!

Piton de la Fournaise à La Réunion

Getting to the Pas de Bellecombe

The Pas de Bellecombe is the main viewpoint overlooking the Piton de La Fournaise massif. It provides access to a red plain and allows you to discover the main crater of Piton de La Fournaise as well as other secondary craters such as Dolomieu or Bory.

To reach this viewpoint, the simplest way is to take a car. Indeed, no bus goes to this part of the island. Access is via National Road 3 from Le Tampon. Then, you just have to turn right at the Bourg-Murat roundabout, near the Maison du Volcan, and follow the forest road. The direction to the volcano is perfectly indicated.

Also, it is possible to reach Pas de Bellecombe on foot from the coast. This is the first stage of the famous Grand Raid. However, this hike involves over 2000 meters of positive elevation gain!

Randonnée sur le Piton de la Fournaise à La Réunion

The main hike to Piton de la Fournaise!

Once on site, many hours of hiking await you. The routes tend to evolve over the course of eruptions. The hike begins from the parking lot of Pas de Bellecombe. You simply need to follow the small white dots along the way, never straying from the path to avoid getting lost and trapped by the mist. Clouds tend to clear very quickly at the top of Piton de La Fournaise... Be cautious. The hike is approximately 12 km long. Allow about 5 hours on average.

For the best possible view, without any clouds, it's best to wake up early. Many hikers set off to conquer Piton de La Fournaise around 4 am, using headlamps. They then witness the sunrise over the crater, which is a breathtaking sight!

Also note that many helicopter flights over Piton de La Fournaise are organized on the island. Several companies offer this tour.

Visite du Piton de La Fournaise à La Réunion
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