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Photo: Dval027, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
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 Plaine des Sables is a volcanic plateau in the mountains of Réunion. Part of the Piton de la Fournaise massif, this volcanic desert is situated at the border of Saint-Joseph and Sainte-Rose, within Réunion National Park.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
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.
A small cone on the side of the main volcano, accessible by a path.
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.