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Access: Head towards Bourg-Murat and take the Route forestière du Volcan. Continue to the end of the road (around 30 km) and park at the Pas de Bellecombe car park.
(S/E) Enjoy the view of the Piton de la Fournaise from the start of the hike. Looking to the left from the viewpoint, you can see your destination: the Piton de Partage, as well as the lava flows from the Piton de la Fournaise’s most recent eruption. To the right, you can see the Piton de Bert and the Formica Léo at the foot of the rampart to your left. Follow the path which starts to the left of the viewpoint. It is wide, features numerous steps and quite a bit of volcanic scoria here and there. You can already make out a few rooftops to the left peeking out from the low vegetation: this is the Lodge du Volcan.
(1) You’ll soon reach the Pas de Bellecombe. A paper map indicates whether the paths within the Enclos Fouqué are open or closed following the latest eruptions. Ignore the paths branching off to the right and left – which lead into the Enclos Fouqué and to the Lodge du Volcan respectively – and take the path that continues straight ahead. You then walk in open country through low-lying vegetation consisting mainly of branles, with the Piton de la Fournaise visible on the right and the Savane Cimetière and the Rampe Liot on the left. The path, which is flat and easy, gradually veers away from the rim without straying too far from it. The branles grow larger and larger, obscuring the Piton de la Fournaise, which you won’t see again until you reach the Piton de Partage. You’ll soon reach an area of undergrowth with tall branles and small tamarind trees, providing a little shade on this path, which is mostly in the open.
(2) At the next junction, keep to the right. As you emerge from the undergrowth of branles and tamarind trees, you get a better view of the Savane Cimetière and the Rampe Liot. You can even see the Cassé de la Rivière de l’Est in the distance! This marks the start of the short climb towards the Piton de Partage along a wide, gently sloping path strewn with slag. The fact that you can see the Piton de Partage antenna ahead of you means you’re almost there!
(3) Stay on the same path until you spot the Piton de Partage antenna on your right. Head towards it and, in doing so, towards the rim.
(4) The view from this summit is magnificent! Ahead of us lie Piton de la Fournaise, Piton Kapor, Cratère Magne and the lava flows from Piton de la Fournaise’s most recent eruption. To the right, you can see the route taken from the car park, Formica Léo and the Rosemont Chapel. To the left are the Nez Coupé de Sainte-Rose, the 2000 lava flow and, in the distance, the Pointe and Anse des Cascades, as well as the Bois-Blanc coastline, all of which come into view. And finally, behind us, you can see the Rempart de la Rivière de l’Est and the entire Savane Cimetière, which stretches from the Rampe Liot to the Cassé de la Rivière de l’Est! Return to the starting point via the same route (S/E).
Visorando Member
Moderate 
Difficult 
