Maïdo - Grand Bénare

Reunion Island, an island of beauty, rewards the early riser. You need to go in the very early morning to the summit of Maïdo, because generally the clouds cover the interior of the island in the middle of the morning. Piton Maïdo, located at 2200 m above sea level, provides one of the most spectacular views of the Cirque of Mafate. It’s also the most accessible, a good hour from the west coast being enough to reach the summit. By car, don’t waste time admiring the beautiful, mysterious forest of highland tamarinds; you’ll have plenty of time to stop on the way back down. Approaching Maïdo, the majestic highland tamarinds disappear, giving way to ambavilles, yellow flowers and thickets. Maïdo owes its name to the fires that have regularly ravaged this region: Maïdo means 'scorched earth' in Malagasy. A few metres from the car park, you can see from the Maïdo viewpoint a landscape both dizzying and extraordinary. At our feet lie the islet of Roche Plate and Bronchard with its very flat top. Dominating the Cirque of Mafate more than 1000 metres up There is so much emotion as you contemplate this superb panorama that you forget about time. Beyond its exceptional landscapes, Cirque of Mafate is also a region with real history. It was the runaway slaves, known as "marrons", who first populated this cirque in the 18th century. Thanks to its rugged terrain and difficult access, Cirque of Mafate was, during the tragic period of slavery, a special place for runaway slaves, and became the natural refuge for black slaves, eager for freedom and dignity. Camps were set up here, whole families came to seek their freedom and a new life. In this way, sheltered by the mountains, yet thriving all the same, in this time both distant and near, a banished people began to build a semblance of normal life, enjoying more peaceful days, eating wild brèdes (edible leaves), cabbage palm and potatoes and, of course, game.
Grand Bénare is one of the 3 highest peaks on the island at 2896m. Dominating the Cirques de Mafate and Cilaos, it’s one of the exceptional viewpoints over Reunion Island. We visit Grand Bénare via the Grand Bord trail, so named because it runs along the crest line overlooking the Cirque of Mafate. With each passing moment of the hike, this spectacular trail offers views of the cirque. The Piton des Neiges massif comes into view little by little, and at the halfway point, you can see the summit of Piton des Neiges. Make regular stops to admire the background of the Cirque of Mafate, the sites of Trois Roches, Plaine aux Sables and Marla each revealing themselves. The trail itself is stony and the high-altitude vegetation may seem monotonous, but the reward is well worth the effort. From the summit of Grand Bénare, marked by a large white cross, the Cirques de Mafate and Cilaos stretch out before you, separated only by the ridge that goes from Gros Morne to Grand Bénare via 3 Salazes, Tête de Chien and Col du Taïbit. In the Cirque of Cilaos, the village of Cilaos can be made out, and further on, Bras Sec. Ilet des Salazes is at your feet, as is Mare de Kelval and Marla. In the distance and far beyond the rampart of the cirque, you’ll see the volcano.

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