A small town of 5,000 inhabitants with colorful huts. Its population, Creole way of life and landscapes make it a unique place. The church, with its lanky bell tower, remains a landmark of the cirque. The village also owes its reputation to its surroundings, punctuated at 360° by majestic peaks and ramparts. On foot or on a mountain bike, Cilaos is the ideal starting point for exceptional hikes in the heart of the national park.   Book your guided tour of Cilaos

Cilaos is one of La Réunion's three cirques, along with Mafate and Salazie, and is surrounded by two giants: Piton de La Fournaise, the highest peak in the Indian Ocean at 3,070 meters, Gros Morne (3,019 meters) and Grand Bénare (2,898 meters). It was created 500,000 years ago, when the Piton des Neiges collapsed. The cirque de Cilaos is part of the heart of the National Park of La Réunion, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The cirque is surrounded by steep, vertiginous ramparts almost 1,000 meters high, and within the cirque, canyons, deep ravines and pitons form a spectacular landscape. The cirque was opened up with the construction of the road in 1932. From then on, it was renowned for its thermal baths. Today, it remains a vacation and tourism destination with unique assets in terms of its natural wealth, traditions and atypical character. It is the most densely populated of the three cirques, with almost 6,000 inhabitants. History Like the other two cirques, Cilaos was a refuge for runaway slaves known as the "Black Maroons". They were the first inhabitants. The word Cilaos is said to come from the Malagasy word Tsilaosa, meaning "that one does not abandon". However, according to some historians, the word Cilaos has its origins in the name of a Malagasy slave named "Tsilaos", who took refuge in the circus. Having escaped from their masters, the maroons took advantage of the site's difficult access to live in complete freedom in the middle of nature. Some of these slaves settled at Ilet à Cordes, which owes its name to the fact that the maroon slaves hiding there could only access the plateau by ropes thrown from the top of the ramparts. But they were soon pursued by armed and organized "maroon hunters". As they fled, many maroons were killed. Among these hunters was Mussard (one of Réunion's best-known), who in October 1751 raided Ilet à Cordes, where he discovered two runaway slave camps. The expedition resulted in the death of three maroons and the capture of a booty consisting of three rifles, pitchforks, pruning hooks, cooking pots, pickaxes and iron spears. After the tragic story of these first Maroon inhabitants, Cilaos remained uninhabited for some time. Official settlement dates back to 1850, but poor, landless "petits blancs" arrived as early as 1835. They developed self-subsistence farming (lentils, corn, wine, peas, beans, citrus fruits, livestock...). Even today, Cilaos is renowned for its lentils and wine. The 400-curve road The first access road to the circus was built in the mid-19th century. In those days, it took two long days by sedan chair to get there. The present road, known as the "road of 400 bends", was opened to traffic in 1932. Subject to frequent landslides, it nevertheless offers breathtaking panoramas. The cirque de Cilaos is steep-sided, bordered by vertiginous ramparts and dominated by the island's highest peaks. You have to wind your way from the bras de Cilaos, between vertiginous walls and deep ravines, and sometimes under the mountain, to finally reach the majestic cirque. The journey alone is worth the trip. Cilaos lentils The Cilaos lentil is an endemic lentil grown in the cirque since the mid-19th century. During the harvest, planters used to perform the ballet of beating the lentils. This arduous task has gradually been replaced by industrial threshing machines, but 10% of the harvest is still done in the traditional way. Sown in April and harvested in September, Cilaos lentils, once prepared and simmered, have an exceptional taste. They are not only fine on the palate, but also a delightful accompaniment to a curry or sausage rougail. Cilaos wine, the wine that drives you crazy at the Cilaos winery As soon as the island was discovered in 1642, the first arrivals brought vine stocks with them. But in 1868, the dreaded phylloxera fungus ravaged the vineyards of mainland France. The local authorities prohibited the introduction of noble grape varieties, which were more susceptible to disease. Since then, Cilaos wine has been made from a robust but mediocre grape variety: Isabelle. Used more as an aperitif, it earned the unfortunate nickname of "wine that drives you crazy". Contrary to this persistent legend, this wine does not, of course, make you crazy. The misunderstanding stems from an unfortunate mix-up with the "Noah" grape variety, whose high methanol content is toxic to the body, causing neurological damage. From 1996 onwards, the Cilaos winery developed oenological research, the first vines were planted and in 2007 the first wine was produced. The winery was taken over in 2019 by Olivier and Véronique Cadarbacasse.   Book your guided tour of Cilaos

Piton des Neiges, 97413 Cilaos Tel: 02 62 90 78 78 / 06 93 13 54 10 Price: €19/bed.

Route de Bras Sec 1 Allée bois rouge, 97413 Cilaos Website - Tel: 06 92 03 26 27. Full/reduced price:€22/ €18 / 3-6 years: €10. Open weekends: 9 am to 5 pm During school vacations, daily: 9 amto 5 pm. High wire acrobatic park (accrobranche), in the heart of the Bras Sec forest.

Duration: 3h round trip. Level: easy. Elevation gain: 400m. Start: from the parking lot in front of the church, take the sentier des Porteurs downhill following the GRR2 markings (red and white), then cross the footbridge and follow the road to the left of the old thermal baths. Then follow the signs for "Cascade du Bras Rouge 45 mn". Return by the same route.   [wpgmza id="13"]   Book your guided tour of Cilaos

Duration: 6h one way. Level: difficult. Elevation gain: 1,730 m. Departure point: From the Tourist Office, head for Bras Sec on the D241 for 3 km to the locality known as "le Bloc". By bus, take line 63 from Cilaos-village. This fairly strenuous hike takes you to the highest point of the Indian Ocean. A two-day hike is recommended. You can sleep at the Piton des Neiges gîte, also known as the Caverne Dufour refuge, at 2,478 m. The gîte should be booked well in advance, as this destination is a priority for most visitors. It's a 4-hour walk to the hut and another 2 hours to the summit. From up there, you can see the whole of Reunion Island. You can contemplate the cirque de Cilaos, the cirque de Salazie, Marla, the Plaines, the Gros Morne, the rempart du Grand Bénard... Bring warm clothes and gloves, as it can get very cold at sunrise, especially if it's windy. [wpgmza id="14"]   Book your guided tour of Cilaos

Duration: 4h30 round trip. Level: difficult. Elevation gain: 800m. Start: from the village of Cilaos, take the D242 towards l'Ilet-à-Cordes for about 6km. The trail is on the right about 1km after crossing the Bras Rouge. Parking. This hike provides access to the Cirque de Mafate from the Îlet à Cordes road. The Col du Taïbit offers breathtaking scenery, with views of the cirque de Cilaos and the three rocky peaks of the Trois Salazes on one side, and the cirque de Mafate on the other. The route to the pass passes through a wide variety of forest landscapes. Ramparts, forests and lush vegetation make up this itinerary. We recommend an early start to take advantage of clear weather.   [wpgmza id="12"]

Fairground market: Sunday mornings, rue des écoles. Numerous stalls selling fruit and vegetables, traditional Cilaos wine, Cilaos lentils, local produce, clothing, handicrafts...

97413 Cilaos La Mare à joncs is just a short stroll from the town center. With a surface area of two hectares, it's the ideal place to relax after exploring the surrounding area. Embellished with water jets, the pond is home to a variety of flora and fauna. If the water isn't agitated, the sharp massifs and vertiginous ramparts are reflected in it, revealing a most bucolic postcard. Water activities (electric boat, pedal boat and kayak rides). Restaurant and supermarket on site.

97413 Cilaos Ilet à Cordes seems to live out of time, in an unspoilt authenticity. The winding road leading to it (to be avoided in case of heavy rain) is particularly beautiful and aerial. It's a feeling of being at the end of the world that dominates when you reach this islet, whose isolation is its historical raison d'être. Floating between clouds and towering ramparts at the foot of the Grand Bénare, runaway slaves made no mistake when they chose this isolated area to hide out. It was the preferred refuge for the "Black Maroons". The village takes its name from the fact that rope ladders had to be used to reach it. Today, its inhabitants, most of whom are farmers, produce mainly lentils, but also citrus fruits and wine. The lentil fields, organized on the rocky flats, stretch all around the village and account for a large proportion of the cirque's production. The views of the cirque de Cilaos from its southern end are spectacular.   Book your guided tour of Cilaos

Duration: 1h30 loop. Easy level. Elevation gain: 380 m. Family-friendly. Start: from the Tourist Office, head for Bras Sec on the D241. Behind the church to the right of the spa is the trailhead. Once you've reached the plateau des chênes, turn left and after a few metres the path turns right. You can also get there by car via the D241. Breathtaking view of the cirque of Cilaos. Ideal for families with children. Near La Roche Merveilleuse, a botanical trail called the "sentier de la découverte" (add an hour) allows you to discover a number of plant species. On-site picnic areas with kiosks.   [wpgmza id="15"]   Book your guided tour of Cilaos

House of Embroidery 4 Rue des écoles, 97413 Cilaos Tel: 02 62 31 77 48. Full/reduced price for guided tour: €2 / €1. Free for children under 8. Open Monday to Thursday: 8 am to 12 pm/12:45 pm to 4:30 pm, Friday: 8 am to 12 pm. This meticulous craft was introduced to the cirque at the end of the 19th century by Angèle Mac Auliffe, daughter of the first doctor to settle in the Cilaos cirque. She initiated the village girls before the technique was passed down from generation to generation. It involves removing threads from the fabric to produce voids, called days. The Maison de la Broderie offers an introduction to embroidery, as well as a permanent exhibition and sale of Cilaos "jours". You'll find finished products, including tablecloths, bedspreads, placemats and coasters.... The price of our products reflects the time required to make them: a tablecloth can take up to eight months to make!

2 Rue Mac-Auliffe, 97413 Cilaos Website - Tel: 02 62 31 71 71. Open Monday to Saturday: 8:30 am-12:30 pm/ 1:30 pm-5 pm, Sunday: 9 am-12 pm. The Office de Tourisme de Cilaos (Cilaos Tourist Office) provides information and bookings for a wide range of tourist activities. For nature lovers, the cirque de Cilaos offers a wide range of activities: hiking, canyoning, mountain biking and heritage outings. The Cilaos Tourist Office also has a Pei crafts store. Agenda Fête de la lentille (October) The lentil festival is one of the key events in the Cilaos cirque. For five days, the village of Cilaos celebrates one of its local products: the Cilaos lentil. The atmosphere is convivial and family-friendly, thanks to a diversified program featuring stands selling local produce, entertainment, radio crochet, miss election, shows, concerts... Canyoning In the heart of the Cilaos cirque, sculpted by water, you'll find some of the most beautiful canyons on Réunion Island. Several service providers offer canyoning trips at Fleurs Jaunes, Bras Rouge, Trou Blanc... Information from the Tourist Office.   Book your guided tour of Cilaos

Route du Bras Sec, 97413 Cilaos Website - Tel: 02 62 31 72 27. Open daily. Monday to Friday: 7 am to 5:30 pm, Saturday: 7 am to 5 pm, Sunday: 9 am to 5 pm. This spa, the only one on the island, continues the tradition of tourism in Cilaos dating back to the 19th century, when curists came in sedan chairs to restore their health. Discovered as early as 1815, the hot springs (37°C) owe their existence to the volcanic past of the Piton des Neiges, which has been extinct for 10,000 years. The first curists are mentioned in 1835, 20 years after the discovery of the Cilaos hot springs. In 1948, a cyclone almost completely destroyed the thermal baths. They were rebuilt two years later. Today, a full range of treatments is available both to spa guests following a program and to tourists, who benefit from numerous à la carte wellness services, as well as an aesthetic area for facial and body treatments.