Mafate
La Nouvelle
Mafate's most accessible and liveliest village
Duration
Depends on route
Distance
—
The most developed and most visited îlet (hamlet) in the Cirque de Mafate, on a plateau offering the widest choice of gîtes and tables d'hôte in the cirque.
The route
La Nouvelle is the largest and liveliest community in the Cirque de Mafate, with around 200 permanent residents. It is the cirque's main hub for trekkers: a school, a town hall annexe, a helipad, hikers' gîtes, a grocery and a small market of local produce are all found here.\n\nSeveral routes lead there. The most direct descends from the Col des Bœufs in 3 hours over ~7 km (see the Col des Bœufs → La Nouvelle page). Other approaches are possible from the Maïdo on the west side (longer), or from inside the cirque over several days from Aurère or Roche Plate.\n\nLa Nouvelle is also an excellent base for exploring the cirque: towards Marla, Îlet à Cordes (Cilaos, via the Taïbit) or Les Orangers. The village regularly hosts sporting and cultural events linked to life in the cirque.
