Maïdo, Grand Bénare, from Vaudeville to Trois Bassins

To get to the start, from the village of Trois Bassins, take the Chemin des Tamarins and join the Aire de Vaudeville, Route de Vaudeville.

(S/E) With your back to the area, turn left, walk about 200 metres and find a path on the left (Ligne de la Grande Ravine). Take this path and climb straight up for about 2.5 kilometres until you reach a forest road.

(1) Continue climbing straight ahead until you reach a cross path.

(2) Continue to the left, then turn right onto the track. Stay on this track (Piste Forestière des 1800 Sud) and continue along the mountainside until you reach the next fork.

(3) Turn right, walk about 100 metres and take the path on the right. Follow it until you reach a road.

(4) Ignore it and take the path immediately to the right until you reach Piton Bernica with its antenna.

(5) Continue along the path leading to the antenna and you will soon reach a fork.

(6) Turn left, pass the car park and reach Piton Maïdo. An iconic peak in the west, Maïdo offers spectacular views of the Mafate cirque and its islets, a must-see for lovers of panoramic views.

(7) Turn around and return to the fork in the path leading to Piton Bernica.

(6) Keep left and follow the track until you find the start of a path on the left after passing a small pass.

(8) Take the path that climbs to the left, reach the ridge and follow it to the right to the summit of Grand Bénare. The highest point of the hike, Grand Bénare (2,898 m) is the third highest peak on the island. It offers a 360° panorama of Mafate, Cilaos and the west coast.

(9) Continue downhill to reach Petit Bénare with the Caverne du Roi Phaonce nearby. Petit Bénare is a natural viewpoint offering an intimate view of the landscape. The mysterious Caverne du Roi Phaonce is steeped in history and legend.

(10) Continue along the ridge, then turn right and continue on the path, keeping to the right at the next junctions until you reach a track.

(11) Continue straight ahead and, alternating between tracks and paths, after passing the fifth ravine, join a path on the right.

(12) Take this path, then keep left at the next two forks and continue straight ahead until you reach the Glacière and the Caverne de la Glacière. A former site where ice was stored for the colonists, the Glacière is a historic place nestled in the Forêt des Hauts. The adjoining cave bears witness to this unusual past.

(13) Turn left and descend until you rejoin the route you have already taken.

(2) Follow the same route back and you will reach Aire de Vaudevile (S/E).

(S/E) The Trois-Bassins lodge (closed, I believe) is ideal for hikers, offering an authentic and friendly setting in the Hauts, perfect for recharging your batteries before or after your adventure.

(4) You can reach a kiosk by following the road to the left for about 150 metres.

No water source, sun cream essential.

• Breathtaking view of the Cirque de Mafate from Maïdo.
• Grand Bénare: legendary peak with 360° panoramic views.
• Petit Bénare: a more intimate viewpoint on the west coast.
• Tamarind forest of Les Hauts and endemic vegetation.