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Shield volcano in southeast Réunion, Indian Ocean
Photo: Aurélien Théau, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Piton de la Fournaise is the only active volcano on Réunion Island, and one of the most active in the world. Rising to 2,631 m above sea level, locals know it as "Le Volcan". It's a part of the inner zone of Réunion National Park, and thus part of the "Pitons, Cirques and Remparts of Réunion Island", covering much of the island.
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An older crater next to the route, about halfway between Bourg Murat and the volcano.
Reminiscent of a moon landscape, you will pass through this plain en route to the volcano. First the road follows the ridge above, where there are good views over the plain so why not stop and take some photos? Then the road descends into it and turns into a track with potholes. If you like, you can stop here again, however you should not wander off too far from your car in case the fog sets in; it's easy to get lost.
The access point to the inner caldera. From the viewpoint you can see the Formica Leo crater as well as the main dome with the summit.
This extinct crater is the first attraction along the path, a 30-45 minute walk from the gate. You can climb it and look into the volcano without having to go all the way up to the main craters which takes several hours.
This rock formation forms a natural shelter. It's about one meter in size, and was created by a gas bubble in liquid lava.
cratère Bory
The western and the smaller of the two main craters. It was named after the explorer leading the 1801 expedition to the summit (2,631 m above sea level), which is located at the western side of the rim of this crater. Unlike its bigger neighbor, it existed already when the island was colonized.
cratère Dolomieu
With a diameter of 1000 m, and much deeper than the former, this is by far the biggest crater of Piton de la Fournaise. It emerged in 1791 at 200 meters in width and has grown in size ever since.
A small cone on the side of the main volcano, accessible by a path.
This guesthouse is the only place to sleep close to the volcano, at a 20-minute walk from the gate. Dorms for 4, 6, and 8 persons. Accommodation needs to be reserved beforehand; you can do this online or by phone. The guesthouse has a restaurant but meals must be reserved 48 hours ahead.
Into the caldera
The N3 route des plaines ("road of the plains") cuts a diagonal in the island, from Le Tampon to the eastern shore.
Coastal road
While you can see the volcano from a different angle here, including eruptions that take place on the eastern side, it is impossible to climb from the seashore onto the volcano.
Fees and permits
Inside the inner caldera (enclos), hiking is the only possibility for moving around, see the Do section below for details.
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