GR®R3 Tour of the Mafate Cirque Reunion Island

The GRR3, in the heart of the Mafate cirque—the only area of ​​Réunion Island completely inaccessible by road—encircles a geological sanctuary formed by the collapse of Piton des Neiges, offering breathtaking landscapes where basalt walls plunge into deep ravines. Mafate's history is inextricably linked to marronage: in the 18th century, runaway slaves found refuge here, naming this rocky chaos after one of their leaders. Hikers traverse forests of native trees, encounter Tec-tecs (endemic birds), and admire unique flora, including tree ferns and casuarina trees. Spending a night in a gîte in Cayenne or Roche Plate allows you to grasp the soul of this cirque: a blend of absolute silence and panoramic views of Piton Cabris that seem suspended between heaven and earth.

Nestled in the heart of Réunion National Park, the Mafate cirque is a unique geological sanctuary, accessible only on foot or by helicopter. Its history is inextricably linked to the "marronage" phenomenon, when slaves fled the plantations to find refuge in these vertiginous ramparts, giving their names to the surrounding peaks and islets. This wild territory boasts a rugged landscape shaped by the collapse of Piton des Neiges and millennia of erosion. Hikers discover a landscape of mineral chaos, where sharp ridges overlook deep ravines and forests of casuarina trees or native hardwoods. Life revolves around the islets, small inhabited plateaus like La Nouvelle, Roche Plate, or Grand Place, where time seems to stand still. Mafate's heritage is based on exemplary solidarity and a simple way of life, powered by solar energy and punctuated by the postman's daily rounds on foot. Nature there is exceptionally rich, home to endemic species such as the Tec-tec or the Papangue, which fly over the basaltic chaos.

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