The Pic Adam culvert

Access: head to Saint-Denis and take the Boulevard Sud. Then follow signs for the Clinique de Sainte-Clotilde, then Bois de Nèfles, then Pic Adam, and park at the end of the road in the car park. (S/E)

(S/E) From the car park, take the concrete path that goes straight ahead.

(1) At the next bend, take the first path on the right towards La Roche Écrite (signposted). The path is flat, wide and pleasant. Then cross the first stream and continue on level ground through a forest of colourful trees. The first steps come quickly but are taken with little or no effort. At this point, enjoy the occasional clearings offering views over the Bois de Nèfles.

The path then quickly levels out as it passes close to a few chocas and filaos before plunging back into a forest of colourful trees and then guava trees. A pipe occasionally emerges from the ground: follow this pipe as far as the water catchment, which carries water from the ravine to Bois de Nèfles. You will then enter a forest of cryptomerias and longoses. A few water collection points have been installed here and there, one of which is situated near a marker bearing the letters AF (impossible to miss as it’s right in the middle of the path).

(2) Follow the path to the ONF sign for “Ravine du Paradis”. Then turn right onto a less well-known but clearly visible path. Tackle one last short, steep slope with the treacherous roots of the cryptomeria trees. The path is flat afterwards and passes beneath a canopy of trees bent by the force of the wind. This section, which is rarely used, is very pleasant. You will then pass close to a water intake before going through a passage carved into the rock and past a second water intake. It is worth noting that there are a few small waterfalls at almost all of these intakes, providing a pleasant sound.

After about 5 to 10 minutes’ walk from the previous junction, you’ll reach a canal which you’ll need to follow to the ravine. The first few metres are protected by a barrier and offer a lovely view over the Ravine Blanche valley. Make the most of it, as this will be the most beautiful and one of the few panoramic views of the walk. The canal has recently been fenced off and also features a handrail. Before reaching the ravine, you can see the dizzying 50-metre waterfall downstream of the canal’s water intake! Towards the end of the canal, there are several paths leading down to the ravine where you can go and see this high waterfall by walking alongside it downstream (not tested). Take care at the end of the canal as the water flows over the mesh fencing!

(3) Once you reach the ravine, head up it. Be careful, however, as the rocks are very slippery! The rocks are sometimes very high and require caution both when climbing up and down. After about 5 to 10 minutes of climbing, you’ll arrive near a lovely little pool fed by a beautiful waterfall a few metres high.

(4) Return via the same route to the starting point (S/E).

__A route with no major difficulties but featuring tricky sections, which may even be impossible to manage with children!
The climb up the Ravine Blanche is over very slippery rocks: do not walk through the ravine if the water is too strong!
The water flows over the wire mesh fence along the canal at the end of the walk.__

Places to see:
- The canal before the (3)
- The waterfall at (4)
- The large waterfall of around 50 metres (at (3), find a way back down into the ravine and follow it down to the break. This route hasn’t been tested yet but seems feasible to me).

Things to do:
- Option to extend the walk by doing the Pic Adam circular route (on the way back, turn right at (2)).