Cayenne - Roche Plate

The passage near the Ravine Grand Mère caldera is breathtaking.

This walk is part of a multi-day hike: Cirque de Mafate

Details

n°3106

Creation:
10 Mar 2012

Last update:
01 Mar 2023

Last review:
11 Aug 2024

Activity: Walking
Distance: 6.99 km
Average duration: 5h 05
Difficulty: Difficult
Back to start: No
Ascent: + 1,092 m
Descent: - 513 m
Highest point: 1,294 m
Lowest point: 342 m

Country: France
Area: Cirque de Mafate
District: La Possession (97419)
Start: S 21.0387° / E 55.404298°
End: S 21.067482° / E 55.398371°
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Description of the walk

(S) At the exit of the lodge, head north on the GRR2. At the crossroads of the oratory, turn left towards the Rivière des Galets.

(1) Cross it and begin a steep climb. Leave Ilet des Lataniers on your left. Reach the Orangers water catchment to arrive at Ilet des Orangers.

(2) Continue climbing southwards until you reach Ravine Grand Mère, with the spectacular Crète des Orangers caldera on your left.

(3) Finish the climb by continuing south to the Brèche pass, also known as Ti Col.

(4) Leave the Maïdo ridge trail on your right and take the trail on the left that leads to Roche Plate.
The Lodge de la Montagne (E) is at the top of Roche Plate.

Waypoints

S : km 0 - alt. 538 m - Cayenne lodge
1 : km 1.17 - alt. 342 m - Rivière des Galets (fleuve)
2 : km 3.54 - alt. 990 m - Ilet des Orangers
3 : km 4.76 - alt. 1,022 m - Ravine Grand Mère
4 : km 5.7 - alt. 1,294 m - Ti Col or La - La Brèche
E : km 6.99 - alt. 1,117 m - Lodge - Roche Plate

Notes

Supplies in the islets.

Worth a visit

The Ravine Grand Mère caldera towers above us at a height of 300 to 400 metres and resembles a vertical wall.
The Rivière des Galets, which we cross in the morning, is an important route to Saint Denis.
Ti Col is also an important crossing point connecting Mafate to the west coast.

Reviews and comments

4.8 / 5

Based on 5 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5

Ease of following the route
5 / 5

Route interest
5 / 5

Mariclor

11 Aug 2024 at 22:08 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 31, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike completed in 6½ hours with our grandchildren aged 7 and 9, who then played with children from the islets. There are always routes with "stairs" in Mafate, but it's so beautiful!

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aydat3

25 Aug 2018 at 13:51 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 25, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hike completed in 7 hours, lots of climbing via steps, crossing a footbridge over the pebble river shortly after setting off, then climbing up to Ilet des Lataniers and Les Orangers before crossing the pass and descending slightly to Roche Plate.
You follow the water pipe for much of the climb, so you may encounter frogs along the way!
Enchanting landscapes all along the way.

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HACKENHEIMER

05 Nov 2016 at 16:55 3600

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 10, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Refreshment point, sandwiches available at Ilet des Orangers
Ravine Grand Mère is a little paradise
At Roche Plate, we recommend the Auberge du Bronchard... excellent since the change of ownership (welcome, cleanliness )

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jmgrislain@hotmail.com

24 Oct 2016 at 09:49 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 09, 2016
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

We hiked on a nearby trail:
Col des Boeufs to Ilet Malheur and Ilet à Bourse: very good lodge at Ilet à Bourse. Superb route, mostly downhill, which is good for warming up the legs on the first day.
Ilet à Bourse, Ilet des Lataniers, return to Cayenne and climb to Gd Place les Hauts. Tiring due to exposure to the sun on the climb. Jean-Louis lodge simple but clean and decent.
Grand Place les Hauts/Roche Plate via Roche Ancrée: typical of Mafate: you climb, you descend what you have climbed, you climb again what you have just descended, and so on! Superb stop on the Rivière des Galets. Good stage with a medium-sized rucksack.
Other stages: Roche Plate la Nouvelle and Col des Boeufs: review given elsewhere.
All along the route, we encountered or were overtaken by candidates for La Diagonale des Fous who were scouting the terrain. Impressive.

Summary: an extraordinary hike in magnificent scenery.

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rviguerie

13 Jan 2015 at 11:43 3600

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 26, 2010
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Starting from Cayenne (530 m), the footbridge over the Rivière des Galets is lower (400 m) and not 827 m (point 1). La Brêche (1293 m) is the highest point on the route, not 1926 m.
The Roche Plate islet, which can be reached by descending from La Brêche, is at 1,100 m, not 1,887 m (point 5).
The municipality of Cilaos has no territory in the Cirque de Mafate.
Discovered during five visits, the Cirque de Mafate is a real treat for hikers. (A change of scenery is guaranteed and the lodges offer a very warm welcome.
The 8-hour hike includes numerous stops to admire the landscape and refresh yourself at the shops in Ilet à Lataniers and Ilet à Orangers.

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