Gîte de Bélouve
HIKING GÎTE
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Hell Bourg - Bélouve
Walking/pedestrian
in Salazie
3.2
km
One-way
Walking/pedestrian
2h
Medium
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Hell Bourg was born after the discovery of the thermal springs, and it was in 1852 that a company began to exploit these famous thermal waters which benefit the stomach and liver. Almost a century later, the springs were buried by a landslide because an attempt was made to unblock them with dynamite, but it was a disaster. Then the cyclone of 1948 ended up destroying the springs forever.
It was also during this period (after the war) that the logging of the Bélouve plateau began. There...Hell Bourg was born after the discovery of the thermal springs, and it was in 1852 that a company began to exploit these famous thermal waters which benefit the stomach and liver. Almost a century later, the springs were buried by a landslide because an attempt was made to unblock them with dynamite, but it was a disaster. Then the cyclone of 1948 ended up destroying the springs forever.
It was also during this period (after the war) that the logging of the Bélouve plateau began. There wasn’t yet a forest trail in Bélouve and no mention of the Col de Bébour, and Bélouve was already famous for its forest of highland tamarinds. This was very popular in carpentry, but was also used in making the shingles that covered the walls and roofs of Creole houses of the time. The plan then was to construct a hoist between Hell Bourg and Bélouve, which was completed in 1953. All the building materials were transported along this trail because the Bélouve forest track would not be completed until much later. The pylons and large parts of this hoist are still in place, while the cables were removed for safety reasons after Cyclone Hyacinthe (1980). For the record, Cirque of Salazie found itself completely isolated after Cyclone Hyacinthe in 1980, because numerous rock falls blocked the road, and it was this hoist that resupplied the whole cirque for several days.This climb to the Bélouve plateau is fairly easy, because the slope of the trail is never that great. Wear good boots because the trail is slippery in places (mud).
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- Points of interest
1
How to reach the start
Go to Salazie on the D48, then one kilometre after the village, at the junction shortly after the Voile de la Mariée waterfall, continue straight on towards Hell-Bourg. Pass through Hell-Bourg and turn left towards Ilet à Vidot. At the end of this road, don’t turn right towards Ilet à Vidot, but left towards Bé Mahot, the stadium. A panel also indicates Terre Plate and Cap Anglais. Continue ahead through the right hairpin turn, then take the second road on the left and park at the far end of the car park.
Steps
0 km: At the end of the car park, a concrete track runs to the right to pass by a pigsty; this is the beginning of the trail. Soon, the track turns into a path and climbs gently along the rampart.
0.6 km: You pass in front of a cross.
1.8 km: The presence of a stream makes the ground slippery, but the trail is well secured by cables.
2.7 km: You pass under the cables of the old hoist lift and you’re not far from the Bélouve viewpoint.
3.2 km: You reach the Bélouve viewpoint.
0.6 km: You pass in front of a cross.
1.8 km: The presence of a stream makes the ground slippery, but the trail is well secured by cables.
2.7 km: You pass under the cables of the old hoist lift and you’re not far from the Bélouve viewpoint.
3.2 km: You reach the Bélouve viewpoint.
- 625 meters of difference in height
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- Start altitude : 981 m
- End altitude : 1504 m
- Maximum altitude : 1507 m
- Minimum altitude : 980 m
- Total positive elevation : 625 m
- Total negative elevation : -103 m
- Max positive elevation : 67 m
- Min positive elevation : -9 m
