Piton de la Fournaise
Réunion · Volcano · 2632 m
Description
Piton de la Fournaise is one of the most active volcanoes on earth, erupting on average every nine months, and the whole of its enclosure lies inside a UNESCO World Heritage area. The road from Bourg-Murat crosses the Plaine des Sables, a red desert of scoria that looks like nowhere else on the island, before ending at the Pas de Bellecombe on the caldera rim. From there a steel stairway drops onto the crater floor and a marked route crosses black lava to the central cone in about five hours return. The enclosure closes whenever the volcano is restless or the cloud is down.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 3 days (optimal 2 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: May – November
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Crossing the crater floor to the central cone
- Pas de Bellecombe rim viewpoint and stairway
- Plaine des Sables red scoria desert
- Formica Leo scoria cone
- Eruption viewing when the volcano is active
- Volcano house museum at Bourg-Murat
- Lava tube caves on the eastern flank
- Chapelle de Rosemont lava formation
- Sunrise over the caldera
- UNESCO World Heritage volcanic landscape