Fenêtre des Makes Piton Cabri

A lovely hike starting from Fenêtre des Makes which, in addition to magnificent views of Cilaos, allows you to discover completely different vegetation depending on the altitude.

Details

1891801
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.75 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 500 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 510 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,577 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,180 m

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the last car park at Fenêtre des Makes.

(S/E) Take the path on the right that passes in front of the antennas and descends very quickly along the cliff. Descend this steep path to a large viewpoint with a path junction.

(1) Continue straight ahead on the path, following the cliff. Very quickly, the slope becomes very steep, but the well-marked path leads to the summit of Piton Cabris, where there is a picnic shelter.

(2) Begin the descent, which is very gentle. Very quickly, the vegetation becomes darker as you pass through a thick forest of cryptomeria trees. The wide, gently sloping path is dotted with the roots of these trees. The descent is very long until you reach the Croisée Tapage signpost.

(3) Take the fork to the right. The forest is less dark and flowers brighten up the path until you reach the Plaine du Bois de Nèfles signpost.

(4) Turn right and continue through the flowers until you reach the Bras Patate signpost.

(5) Turn right and begin the long climb. The path is very good and the slope is relatively gentle until you reach the crossroads you passed at the start.

(1) Turn left to begin the tough climb back to the starting point and the Fenêtre des Makes car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,575 m - Fenêtre des Makes car park
  2. 1 : km 0.59 - alt. 1,379 m - Viewpoint and crossroads
  3. 2 : km 1.03 - alt. 1,494 m - Piton Cabris
  4. 3 : km 2.66 - alt. 1,269 m - Croisée Tapage
  5. 4 : km 3.03 - alt. 1,241 m - Plaine du Bois de Nèfles
  6. 5 : km 3.54 - alt. 1,189 m - Bras Patate
  7. S/E : km 5.75 - alt. 1,573 m - Fenêtre des Makes car park

Notes

(S/E) Set off early to enjoy the panoramic view, as the Fenêtre des Makes is shrouded in fog almost every day from 11 a.m. onwards.

Worth a visit

Les Makes

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 19 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
User 25227473

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with superb views and lovely forest.
You need to set off early to enjoy the scenery and avoid the mist.
As average walkers, it took us longer than expected, and walking sticks are very useful for the descent and ascent of the Makes window.

Machine-translated

Marc. ballinger
Marc. ballinger

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike with stunning views. An alternative route is possible to avoid the descent and climb back up from the Makes window by starting from the Radier car park. There are also numerous viewpoints over Cilaos along the route.

Machine-translated

Sylvie J
Sylvie J

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 09, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful and varied hike

Machine-translated

GrandPas57
GrandPas57

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful hike. Beautiful view of Cilaos.

Machine-translated

Human_aelle
Human_aelle

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A superb hike, which does not necessarily require training but does require a good level of fitness. You start at the top with a fairly steep descent (which you will climb back up at the end to return to the starting point). Otherwise, there is a magnificent view of the Cirque de Cilaos, but be careful if you hope to see it, you must leave before 8:30 am because the cirque is quickly covered by mist.

Machine-translated

AKAGO
AKAGO

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A magnificent hike, certainly physically demanding, for which walking poles are essential and it is best to start early in the morning.

Machine-translated

jmdela
jmdela

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Amazing!
A fantastic hike. Magnificent scenery, a challenging route with some very steep climbs. A must-do, but you need to be in good shape.

Machine-translated

lbsr
lbsr

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 21, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant hike, mostly shaded so it's doable even in hot weather! Thank you for the advice and very clear directions!
Sublime view of the cirque!
It's a good idea to set off early for this walk to get the best views, as the clouds and mist rise early. By 10am, the whole cirque was covered!
One small point to bear in mind is that the descent at the start of the walk has to be done in the opposite direction at the end of the walk and is a bit rough and steep!
If you are coming from the south of the island, be sure to leave very early (6 a.m.) to avoid traffic jams in St Pierre between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.!

Machine-translated

Pamas
Pamas

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 07, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

Circuit completed with my three teenagers. The start of the hike is right at the end of the car park.
Hike with beautiful views and a walk through a lovely forest.
Not particularly difficult

Machine-translated

Fabady
Fabady

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 27, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Great hike, quite challenging despite the distance, which may seem short.
Best done early in the day to enjoy the magnificent scenery
Thank you for sharing and for the elevation gain

Machine-translated

Stef lanes
Stef lanes

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 21, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Good description
Nice climb up Piton Cabri, beautiful view
Less interesting section in the forest as it is monotonous

Machine-translated

VAN DEN BERGHE Christian
VAN DEN BERGHE Christian

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 09, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike. Magnificent and impressive views of the Cirque de Cilaos. Passes through a beautiful forest of cryptomeria trees. It may be best to avoid taking very young children on this hike (narrow path, steep ascents and descents in places, risk of slipping).

Machine-translated

moniquemz
moniquemz

I see that you are doing all the hikes I saved in Visorando, and I am delighted. Enjoy this beautiful island.
Monique

Machine-translated

Les Zams de Behoust
Les Zams de Behoust

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

We set off on this route at 9 a.m. and were able to enjoy the view (starting from the viewpoint above the car park) and, above all, the wider view from the "MAKES window" (point 1 in the description).
The description is perfect (avoid trying to go "in front" of the antennas - as we understood -... the hike would end there, or rather 1,200 metres lower... but otherwise, everything is as described.
We didn't meet many hikers (a few more on the way up to the window). We came across some hedgehog hunters (not nice!) and, above all, lots of flowers (in the forest and up to the MAKES window)
the Zams of Behoust

Machine-translated

Nathéric01
Nathéric01

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Thank you for the very helpful description, but be sure to leave very early to take advantage of good weather conditions.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.