From Cayenne to Bras Mouton

de fr

Cayenne is a small village not far from Kélonia. Many people pass through this village on their way to Saint-Gilles (or Saint-Leu) but don’t stop, except to look at the sea. A path runs through the village and leads to Bras Mouton in the hills above Saint-Leu, offering some panoramic views of this part of the island.

Details

n°192769
Creation:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 2.71 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,467 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,467 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,486 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 20 ft
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Description of the walk

Park at the side of the D1a opposite the steps leading to Cayenne.

(S/E) Cross the N1a and head for the first set of steep steps. After these, turn left and then right onto the second set of steps! The climb is just as steep. At the top, the steps give way to a footpath. The climb is steady, with very few flat sections. From time to time, you’ll come across a drainage pipe.
The path then passes through several construction sites. After about 30 minutes’ walk, the path reaches a junction just before the Route des Tamarins.

(1) Take the path branching off to the left, go under the bridge and reach a junction on the other side of the road.

(2) A grassy path branches off to the right. Do not take this; continue to the left.

(3) Further up, at elevation 321, leave a path on your left and continue to the right. Reaching a hut marks the end of the climb. Finally, after a 45-minute walk, you’ll arrive at Bras Mouton.

(4) All that remains is to make your way back to the car park (S/E) by following the route you took on the way up in reverse.

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 20 ft - D1a road, opposite the steps
  2. 1 : mi 0.61 - alt. 712 ft - T-junction before the Route des Tamarins
  3. 2 : mi 0.69 - alt. 758 ft - Path leading off to the left
  4. 3 : mi 1.02 - alt. 1,050 ft - At the fork in the road, continue to the right
  5. 4 : mi 1.35 - alt. 1,486 ft - Bras Mouton
  6. S/E : mi 2.71 - alt. 20 ft - D1a road, opposite the steps

Notes

For this walk, I strongly recommend bringing a cap and a bottle of water, as there is virtually no shade.

I’d also advise putting on sun cream, as the vegetation is semi-arid – and this is the case from start to finish! Watch out for the sun, as the path offers no shade!

Worth a visit

You can go for a swim at Saint-Leu beach. The start of the trail is near Kélonia (a sea turtle reserve), which you can visit. There’s also the Church of La Salette, situated on the mountain, about ten metres above Saint-Leu. From there, you’ll be treated to a magnificent view of the town.

You can make your way back down via the cobbled path in Saint-Leu. You can also visit the Mascarins Botanical Conservatory, as well as the ruins of the old railway bridge, situated just a stone’s throw from the start of the walk.

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 3 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4 / 5
Route interest
4 / 5
danielfr40
danielfr40

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

The views are often obscured by the vegetation, but I quite like this sort of steep, rocky path with firm footing
It leads to a sheep track a little to the left of the main route – perhaps a detour
I tried to make a circular route by heading slightly uphill around the houses and then cutting through them on the right; you come across a track that descends parallel to the ascent path, marked with a black line on the IGN map, initially tarmac, then stony ground, and finally a path rejoining the outward route to pass under the N1 bridge.
Thanks for this route

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Falk david
Falk david

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 03, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

A brilliant course

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jacquesambrosia
jacquesambrosia

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Be careful not to follow the route shown on the map when you reach Bras Mouton, as you’ll end up right in front of a house and its entrance gate. It’s impossible to get past… You need to head further up to the left, along the path that runs under the mango trees. This leads out onto the road that serves the houses in the village.

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