The Bras de la Plaine Gorges from the Entre-Deux

Access: head towards L’Entre-Deux via the D26. When you reach the church, stay on the road until you reach the start of the Sentier Dassy and its car park. The path is signposted on the right at a bend.

(S/E) From the start, take the Sentier Dassy towards Bras de la Plaine. Then ignore the staircase leading off to the left. The descent begins with log steps. The path is very popular with walkers. It features two flat sections separated by a stony, winding section. Keep an eye on children during the final few metres of the descent, which are quite narrow. Crossing a ravine signals that you are about to reach the Pont de la Liane.

(1) Cross the bridge and then take the first path leading down to the left into the ravine. This marks the start of the water section. You will frequently have to wade through the water. This section should be avoided immediately after heavy rainfall. Just as you reach the river, there is a pleasant open-air toilet on the right bank of the Bras de la Plaine.

From there, never leave the river. There are still traces of the old track created in 2019, which you can take to save time. It takes 10 minutes to reach the Bras de la Plaine Arch.

(2) It marks the imminent arrival at the gorges. Around the arch, the first basalt columns are visible. This arch is one of the best known on Réunion, but you have to pay the price to see it. From the area around the arch, you can make out the Cascade Georget, which rarely has any water. After the arch, the river narrows more and more. From there, it is difficult to get mobile reception and the GPS can malfunction.

It takes a 15- to 20-minute walk to reach the magnificent Bras de la Plaine Gorges.

(3) From this point onwards, the route is a succession of caves, basalt columns and very narrow canyons: a real feast for the eyes! Some caves are home to salanganes (endemic swallows).

Be careful here, however, as the water level can be high. The track’s bed has disappeared and some narrows are impassable during floods. Allow at least an hour to walk through these gorges, and even longer if you stop for photos.

Stay in the ravine until the end of the gorges, where the valley widens

(4) Follow the same route back to the starting point (S/E).

This walk should be avoided at all costs during and after a spell of rain.
Bring waterproof shoes: there are numerous sections where you will be walking through water.
The elevation gain is overestimated: allow for approximately 500 m of elevation gain round trip.
Water point available at the start (S/E).

Pictures of these gorges can be viewed here

Must-see:

The Pont de la Liane and its ‘pisse en l’air’ (1).
The Bras de la Plaine Arch (2).
The Bras de la Plaine Gorges (3).

Things to do:

-Visit the town ofEntre-Deux