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Dos d'Ane - Deux-Bras
Walking/pedestrian
in La Possession
4.5
km
One-way
Walking/pedestrian
1h 45min
Hard
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The cyclonic floods have allowed the Rivière des Galets to shape this natural outlet from Cirque of Mafate. Deux Bras is located at the point where Bras de Sainte Suzanne flows into Rivière des Galets. It’s the trail that goes up from the village of Rivière des Galets to Deux Bras that supplies the north of Mafate, because it’s the easiest and fastest point of entry and exit from Mafate outside periods of flood.This trail marks the start of the GR-R2 trail and is used by many hikers. Starting from Saint-Denis, the GR-R2 goes up to Brulé and then to the gite at Roche Ecrite. It runs along the edge of the Cirque of Mafate to Dos d'Ane, then descends to Deux Bras by this path to enter the Cirque of Mafate. So plan your circuit over several days and stay overnight in Dos d'Ane before undertaking this descent, which is only the first stop on a day which will see you go to Aurère, Grand-Place, Cayenne, Ilet à Bourse, and even to Ilet à Malheur or Ilet des Lataniers. Take sufficient water for the day or fill up at Bras de Sainte-Suzanne, which seems to be unpolluted (consider using water purification tablets as a precaution). This trail is in the shade of the vegetation and rampart during most of the descent, and the caps and sunscreen will be for later.
- Departure
- La Possession
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Difference in height
- 309.58 m
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Equipment
- Raincoat, hiking shoes, warm clothes, energy food, flashlight, sunscreen, bandages, paracetamol, hat, detailed maps.
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- See all reviews
How to reach the start
To reach the church of Dos d'Ane, take the dual carriageway to Le Port, exit at the roundabout near the hypermarket (nearest to the metal bridge over the Rivière des Galets) and head towards Rivière des Galets. Turn right at the next roundabout. Follow the signs for Dos d'Ane, pass the school of Dos d'Ane, and when you arrive at the mini-market, take the alley on the right, which leads to the church whose bell tower can be seen in the distance.
Steps
0 km - You’re in front of the church of Dos d'Ane, in Rue Ferdinand Louise (panel 1). Head down this road for 200 metres, which then becomes a concrete track.
0.2 km - You arrive in front of the ONF sign which marks the start of the trail on the left (panel 2). Start walking down the first steps of the trail and walk along the gardens of some of the houses in Dos d'Ane.
0.3 km - The trail turns left, then there are a few more steps (panel 3).
0.4 km - You arrive in front of the oratory (panel 4), then a large bamboo thicket just at the edge of the path (panel 5). The slope is gentle.
0.9 km - Here are the last bamboo thickets (panel 6). The slope gets steeper; this is the beginning of the true descent.
1.7 km - You have a great view of the Orangers channel higher up on the opposite wall, as well as the town of Le Port towards the mouth of the Rivière des Galets (panels 7, 8 and 9). This is the end of the first steep descent of 250 metres of vertical drop (panel 10).
2.2 km - A steep section lets you lose 50 metres of altitude.
2.7 km - Skirt the rocky ridge on a long gentle slope (panels 11 and 12). Then you begin a new descent to lose another 160 metres of height (panels 13, 14 and 15). Handrails and a ladder help you safely descend with an amazing view of the Aurère ridge.
3.3 km – It’s the end of this second steep descent and you arrive in Ilet Albert (panel 16), which is on a small plateau above the trail. Here, all you’ll see is a few banana trees. The trail then continues on a gentle slope.
3.5 km - You start the last steep descent. It loses another 150 metres in height (panels 17 and 18). Half-way down the descent, the view of Deux Bras and the Aurère ridge is magnificent.
4.0 km - End of the steep descent; the descent is now much gentler.
4.2 km - You arrive under the trees near Bras de Sainte-Suzanne (panel 19). Pass through Bras de Sainte-Suzanne over the ford if it still exists, or by walking through the water, then go up the other side of the bank (panel 20). Continuing, you arrive at the Deux Bras track, at the junction with the Bras des Merles trail and the trail going to Deux Bras. Continue on the trail towards Deux Bras.
4.6 km - You arrive in Deux Bras (panel 21).
0.2 km - You arrive in front of the ONF sign which marks the start of the trail on the left (panel 2). Start walking down the first steps of the trail and walk along the gardens of some of the houses in Dos d'Ane.
0.3 km - The trail turns left, then there are a few more steps (panel 3).
0.4 km - You arrive in front of the oratory (panel 4), then a large bamboo thicket just at the edge of the path (panel 5). The slope is gentle.
0.9 km - Here are the last bamboo thickets (panel 6). The slope gets steeper; this is the beginning of the true descent.
1.7 km - You have a great view of the Orangers channel higher up on the opposite wall, as well as the town of Le Port towards the mouth of the Rivière des Galets (panels 7, 8 and 9). This is the end of the first steep descent of 250 metres of vertical drop (panel 10).
2.2 km - A steep section lets you lose 50 metres of altitude.
2.7 km - Skirt the rocky ridge on a long gentle slope (panels 11 and 12). Then you begin a new descent to lose another 160 metres of height (panels 13, 14 and 15). Handrails and a ladder help you safely descend with an amazing view of the Aurère ridge.
3.3 km – It’s the end of this second steep descent and you arrive in Ilet Albert (panel 16), which is on a small plateau above the trail. Here, all you’ll see is a few banana trees. The trail then continues on a gentle slope.
3.5 km - You start the last steep descent. It loses another 150 metres in height (panels 17 and 18). Half-way down the descent, the view of Deux Bras and the Aurère ridge is magnificent.
4.0 km - End of the steep descent; the descent is now much gentler.
4.2 km - You arrive under the trees near Bras de Sainte-Suzanne (panel 19). Pass through Bras de Sainte-Suzanne over the ford if it still exists, or by walking through the water, then go up the other side of the bank (panel 20). Continuing, you arrive at the Deux Bras track, at the junction with the Bras des Merles trail and the trail going to Deux Bras. Continue on the trail towards Deux Bras.
4.6 km - You arrive in Deux Bras (panel 21).
- 310 meters of difference in height
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- Start altitude : 931 m
- End altitude : 274 m
- Maximum altitude : 933 m
- Minimum altitude : 256 m
- Total positive elevation : 310 m
- Total negative elevation : -967 m
- Max positive elevation : 104 m
- Min positive elevation : -188 m
