What to do in Cirque de Salazie, Hell-Bourg

Discover the activities to do in the Cirque de Salazie! Of the three cirques in the heart of the Réunion Island, the Cirque de Salazie is the most lush of them all: a veritable green lung offering an extremely rich natural environment!

Located in the east of Réunion Island, on the windward coast in the district of Saint-Benoît, the Cirque de Salazie is a green setting where water is very present. It is located at the foot of the Pitons des Neiges (3,071 m) and the Gros Morne (3,019 m), just like its neighbours the cirques of Mafate and Cilaos, and is accessible by road from Saint-André. The road also gives you a good taste of what awaits you when you visit the Cirque de Salazie, a UNESCO World Heritage site: gorges with lush vegetation and sublime waterfalls, superb landscapes that you will not see anywhere else on the island!

Bounded with the Cirque de Mafate by mountainous peaks such as the Belvédère de la Fenêtre, the Col des Boeufs or the Col de Fourche, these offer magnificent hiking trails, such as the one at La Roche Ecrite, which is reputed to be difficult but offers a breathtaking panorama of the two cirques. The viewpoint at the top of the Piton d'Anchaing (1,352 m), located in the middle of the Cirque de Salazie, also offers a breathtaking 360° view of the whole cirque. Lovers of walking and spectacular landscapes will be delighted in this little green paradise of the Réunion Island!

Through various activities such as hiking, mountain biking, canyoning and fishing, you can discover at your own pace the splendours of the Cirque de Salazie: let's mention the Blanche, Voile de la Mariée and Trou de fer waterfalls; the particular Pisse-en-l'air waterfall; the banks of the Fleurs Jaunes, Mat and Bras de Caverne rivers; the Bélouve forest, but also the Bébour forest, in the south of the cirque; without forgetting the famous village of Hell-Bourg, at an altitude of 930 m and holder of the label "most beautiful village of France". Hell-Bourg is indeed the most touristic village of the Cirque de Salazie with its beautiful coloured huts with typical Reunionese architecture and its numerous Creole gardens.

The Cirque de Salazie is particularly known for its cultivation of chayote, also called "chouchou" in Réunion Island: it is a local vegetable used in many Reunionese dishes, so don't hesitate to try it! You can see fields of chouchou all over the cirque, especially during your hikes. And if you still have time to wander around, don't hesitate to take a walk around the Mare à Poule d'Eau which, as its name suggests, is home to many moorhens (although it is more of a pond than a puddle).

Hiking remains the activity to do in the Cirque de Salazie, its irregular relief abounding in paths designed for this purpose, alternating between ascents and descents in the middle of the jungle. If you are a keen hiker, whether you are more or less sporty, don't hesitate to visit the Cirque de Salazie, which will provide you with superb memories of your stay in Réunion Island!