To see it all in seven days
A week around the island
A grand tour, clockwise: Saint-Denis, Salazie, the waterfalls of the East, the wild South, the volcano, Cilaos and, to finish, the lagoon.
7 days Easy to moderate
Day 1
Creole Saint-Denis
Creole houses (cases créoles), places of worship side by side and the seafront.
Viewpoints · Saint-Denis
Jardin de l'État
A stroll beneath century-old trees.
Religious heritage · Saint-Denis
Cathédrale de Saint-Denis
In the heart of the historic centre.
Viewpoints · Saint-Denis
Le Barachois
The cannons facing the ocean, late in the day.
Day 2
Salazie, the green cirque
The wettest and lushest of the three cirques (natural amphitheatres).
Waterfalls · Salazie
Voile de la Mariée
The waterfall you can see from the road.
Villages · Salazie
Hell-Bourg
One of the “most beautiful villages in France”, with its Creole houses and gardens.
Stay the night in Hell-Bourg to enjoy the village once the day visitors have gone.
Day 3
The waterfalls of the East
Vanilla, rock pools and tropical forest on the windward coast.
Waterfalls · Sainte-Suzanne
Cascade Niagara
A big waterfall just a stone’s throw from the road.
Markets · Bras-Panon
Maison de la Vanille
Everything you need to know about Bourbon vanilla.
Waterfalls · Bras-Panon
Bassin La Paix
A pool and its waterfall on the Rivière des Roches.
Viewpoints · Sainte-Rose
Anse des Cascades
Waterfalls tumbling straight into the ocean.
Day 4
The wild South
Lava flows, cliffs and primary forest.
Religious heritage · Sainte-Rose
Notre-Dame-des-Laves
The church spared by the 1977 lava flow.
Viewpoints · Saint-Philippe
Route des Laves
The road crosses the volcano’s successive lava flows.
Viewpoints · Saint-Philippe
Cap Méchant
Basalt cliffs pounded by the swell.
Beaches · Petite-Île
Grande Anse
A white-sand beach and a natural pool.
Day 5
The volcano
Lunar landscapes and one of the most active volcanoes in the world.
Viewpoints · Saint-Joseph
Plaine des Sables
The road crosses a red and black mineral desert.
Hike · Easy · 20 min (one way)
Pas de Bellecombe → Formica Leo
A descent to the small Formica Leo crater, at the foot of the Piton de la Fournaise.
Viewpoints · Le Tampon
Cité du Volcan
The museum that explains it all, on the way back.
Check access to the Enclos (the volcano’s main caldera) before you set off: it can be closed by prefectural order.
Day 6
Cilaos
The road of 400 bends, then the mineral cirque and its lentils.
Hike · Easy · 1h10 (one way)
La Roche Merveilleuse
The viewpoint over the whole cirque.
Hike · Easy · 20 min
Bassin Bleu
A short walk to a rock pool.
Day 7
Back to the lagoon
One last swim and one last sunset.
Beaches · Saint-Leu
Saint-Leu
Mask and snorkel with the turtles.
Beaches · Saint-Gilles-les-Bains
Boucan Canot
A sunset to end the trip.
Along the way
Where to eat
Along the way
Where to stay
The official app
All of Nout Péi, in your pocket
The website opens the doors. The app comes with you out in the field: map, guides, routes, and Quiz Péi, available only in the app.
- Quiz PéiDaily challenge, duels and leaderboard
- Scan PéiIdentify what you discover
- Interactive mapEvery place in your pocket
- In-depth guidesHistory, trails, local favourites
