Country:
City:
Access:
From Le Tampon: Head towards Bérive via the D3 (Route Hubert Delisle). Follow this road until you reach the junction with the D36 (impossible to miss as a sign points towards Notre-Dame de la Paix). Follow the D36 until you see the sign on the right indicating the entrance to the Forêt des Hauts de Mont Vert.
From Bourg-Murat: Head down the N3 (Route des Plaines) towards Le Tampon. Follow this road until you reach the junction with the D36 (impossible to miss as there is a sign pointing towards Notre-Dame de la Paix). Follow this road until you see the sign on the left, in a bend, indicating the entrance to the Forêt des Hauts de Mont Vert.
(S/E) Take the track that starts behind the barrier. From there, it’s simple: follow the track to the start of the path towards Petite-Île, marked by an ONF sign. The track climbs gently, crosses a stream and leads straight into the lush Forêt des Hauts de Mont Vert. Like any forest in the island’s highlands, it is lush and green, with arums, mosses, Jupiter’s beard, highland tamarinds, fanjans, branles and other plants endemic to Réunion; combined with the mist, it evokes a mysterious forest straight out of Tolkien’s novels. Here and there, along the edge of the track, you can spot very recent plantations of endemic trees
(1). The fact that the track begins to descend indicates that we will soon be skirting the Rivière des Remparts. However, the track never comes within 10 metres of the riverbank. One can make out the riverbank through the lush vegetation. Paths to the left of the track allow you to get as close as possible. You’ll then be treated to some lovely views of Grand Coude, the Trous de Cissia and the upper reaches of the Rivière des Remparts, which are well worth the detour. The path then descends more and more steeply and includes sections that can be slippery in wet weather. You’ll spot a few arums here and there along the path.
(2) You’ll reach the first clearing and the first bench after about 40 minutes’ walk. Leave the edge of the rampart and head south-west towards La Mare. From this point onwards, fields of arums and meadows follow one after another and the slope becomes steeper. Enjoy the panoramic views of Piton des Neiges and the south-west of the island.
(3) After walking for about 2.8 kilometres, leave the inconspicuous path on your right that leads to the Domaine Vidot and turn left onto the track. As you follow this path for the first few metres, you’ll have the chance to enjoy some beautiful views over the Plaine des Caffres region and the south of the island.
(4) After about an hour’s walk, you’ll reach the famous little pond, which no doubt takes its name from the locality of the same name. As with the Piton de l’Eau, it is surrounded by arums and is at its most beautiful when they are in bloom, although it is not an exceptional spot. This is also the start of the path leading to the Relais de Petite-Île, marked by an ONF sign. Return to the starting point via the same route (S/E).
Visorando Member
Difficult 
Moderate 
