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Access from Saint-Benoit
Head towards La Plaine-des-Palmistes and then La Petite-Plaine. On leaving the village of La Petite-Plaine, turn right onto Route Forestière 2 de Bébour-Bélouve towards the Bébour forest. Pass the Col de Bélouve (7 kilometres after the Bébour forest). 13 kilometres after the pass, park in the car park near a barrier preventing vehicles from going any further. This car park is located not far from the end of the forest road. The Bélouve lodge is located about a hundred metres after the barrier.
Access from Bourg-Murat
Continue towards La Plaine des Palmistes. Pass the Col de Bellevue. 5 kilometres after the pass, at the first crossroads, turn left onto the D55 towards La Petite-Plaine. Take the first road on the left (Route Forestière 2 de Bébour-Bélouve) towards the Bébour forest. Pass Col de Bélouve (7 kilometres after the Bébour forest). 13 kilometres after the pass, park in the car park near a barrier preventing vehicles from going any further. This car park is located not far from the end of the forest road. The Bélouve lodge is located about 100 metres after the barrier.
(S/E) Continue past the barrier towards the lodge. Pass Ravine Bringellier and leave Piste Forestière 24 de la Vierge on your left.
(1) Turn right, still heading towards the lodge. Continue to the end of the road. Go around the lodge on the right.
(2) At the junction with the Trou de Fer trail, turn left towards the viewpoint over Salasie and continue to it.
(3) The view is superb in good weather. Then return to the junction with the Trou de Fer trail.
(2) Take this path on the left. It is muddy most of the time, but is occasionally covered by a wooden walkway, making it easier to walk on. The entire hike takes place in the magnificent Bélouve forest.
Further on, the trail turns left and crosses a footbridge. You can stop at Bras de Caverne for a drink. You will need to wade across this ravine. A few metres below the ford is a pool. 200 metres further on, the trail leads to the Fleurs Jaunes forest track.
(4) Turn left and follow it for about a hundred metres before turning right at the next junction. The path is still muddy and crosses another ravine. At the end, it joins the bridle path.
(5) Turn left onto the bridle path and follow it to its end. The path is easy and pleasant, running through the forest. Leave the path branching off to the right towards La Reine des Tamarins for later and continue straight ahead on the track.
Further up, leave the Trou de Fer trail on your left and continue straight ahead on the track. Go to the end of the bridle path, which turns into a trail. About a hundred metres before the end, you will hear a spring very close to the track on your right.
(6) A few metres after the end of the bridle path, leave the École Normale trail on your right and turn left towards Trou de Fer. There is a bench at this junction. The path to the viewpoint is on a wooden walkway.
(7) Then leave the Trou de Fer path on your left and turn right towards the viewpoint.
The passage between two fanjans (tree ferns) surrounded by brown vines marks the approach to the viewpoint.
(8). A superb belvedere has recently been built to make the most of the viewpoint (which is magnificent when the weather is good) and to accommodate more people.
Retrace your steps and return to the fork on the left with the path leading to the Reine des Tamarins. Visit this tree with its enormous fallen trunk before continuing the hike by turning left onto the bridle path heading south.
(5) Leave the path leading to the Bélouve lodge on your right and continue straight ahead for 100 metres.
(9) Leave the track on the left and continue straight ahead to the end of the bridle path.
(10) Turn right onto Route Forestière 2 de Bébour-Bélouve. Continue along this road to the car park (S/E).
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