Gîte du Volcan

Les Hautes Plaines & the Volcano

LoginSave

If you wish to stop overnight to soak up this grand scenery, the 65-bed Gîte du Volcan has a stunning location, a 15-minute walk from Pas de Bellecombe. Digs are in four- to 12-bed dorms, some of which have been thoughtfully renovated. Hot water is limited (it's solar heated), and there are no sockets in the dorms (only at the restaurant).

There's also one cute bungalow that comes with bathroom. The restaurant is open at lunch for day trippers and serves at least five different dishes. The real clinchers are the picture windows with lovely mountain views. Breakfast costs €7.50.

Bookings can be made by calling the gîte or through Plateforme de Réservation – Île de la Réunion or through any tourist office. Reservations are essential during the trekking season. Credit cards are accepted.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Plaine des Sables

    Plaine des Sables

    1.81 MILES

    You've reached the end of the world! The Plaine des Sables is a wide windswept plain, made of ashes. With its lunar landscape, it could form a perfect…

  • La Fenêtre

    La Fenêtre

    16.54 MILES

    It would be a sin to visit Les Makes and not take the forest road that leads to this viewpoint, another 10km further uphill. The view over the entire…

  • Stella Matutina

    Stella Matutina

    25.3 MILES

    Réunion's most beloved museum is dedicated primarily to the sugar industry, but also provides fascinating insights into the history of the island,…

  • Sucrerie de Bois-Rouge

    Sucrerie de Bois-Rouge

    21.15 MILES

    This sugar refinery is on the coast 3km north of St-André. During the cane harvest (July to early December) visitors are shown around the huge, high-tech…

  • Le Grand Brûlé Platform

    Le Grand Brûlé Platform

    8.24 MILES

    In April 2007, in one of the most violent eruptions ever recorded, an impressive lava flow was formed, about 2km north of Pointe du Tremblet. The road was…

  • Pas de Bellecombe

    Pas de Bellecombe

    0.55 MILES

    From the viewpoint at Pas de Bellecombe (2311m), the 'entrance' to the volcanic area, you'll be rewarded with mesmerising views of the volcano and its…

View more attractions

Nearby Les Hautes Plaines & the Volcano attractions

1. Pas de Bellecombe

0.55 MILES

From the viewpoint at Pas de Bellecombe (2311m), the 'entrance' to the volcanic area, you'll be rewarded with mesmerising views of the volcano and its…

2. Plaine des Sables

1.81 MILES

You've reached the end of the world! The Plaine des Sables is a wide windswept plain, made of ashes. With its lunar landscape, it could form a perfect…

3. Pas des Sables

2.66 MILES

About 22km from Bourg-Murat, there's a fabulous viewpoint at Pas des Sables (2360m), from where you can gaze at the barren moonscape that is the Plaine…

4. Cratère Commerson

3 MILES

Just off the road that leads to the volcano (it's signposted), this lookout affords spectacular views of a 230-metre deep crater.

5. Belvédère du Nez-de-Bœuf

4.56 MILES

On your way to the volcano, be sure to pause at this viewpoint (it's signposted) to enjoy unsurpassable views over the valley gouged by the Rivière des…

6. La Maison de Laurina

6.56 MILES

Caffeine addicts should make a beeline for La Maison de Laurina, the owner of which grows a top-quality variety of coffee, the Bourbon Pointu. The…

7. Le Labyrinthe En Champ Thé

6.6 MILES

At the entrance of Grand Coude, Le Labyrinthe En Champ Thé is worth an hour or so for anyone interested in tropical flora, with an emphasis on tea and…

8. Domaine des Tourelles

6.89 MILES

A lovely 1920s Creole building just south of the town centre, Domaine des Tourelles now houses a shop selling local produce and souvenirs. Outside you'll…