GR®R1 Tour of the Piton des Neiges Reunion Island

The GRR1, a jewel of Réunion hiking, lies at the heart of Piton des Neiges, the oldest volcano in the Indian Ocean. This loop trail winds through the island's three majestic cirques: Salazie, Cilaos, and Mafate. The history of this route is linked to "marronage," recalling the refuge of runaway slaves in these inaccessible natural ramparts. The landscapes are breathtakingly vertical, alternating between forests of native trees, crystalline waterfalls, and lunar volcanic plateaus, with unique endemic flora such as tree ferns and tamarind trees. The trail traverses the small hamlets of Mafate, accessible only on foot, where time seems to stand still in an atmosphere of mountain solidarity. The final ascent to the summit of the volcano, reaching 3,070 meters, offers a 360° panorama of the ocean at sunrise.

Piton des Neiges is the oldest volcano and the highest peak on Réunion Island. Born over two million years ago, this dormant giant is the very architect of the island, having shaped the three majestic cirques of Mafate, Salazie, and Cilaos through its successive collapses. Its ascent, often begun at night from the Caverne Gousseau refuge, is a rite of passage for any hiker seeking the absolute. At the summit, the sunrise reveals a magnificent, mineral panorama, encompassing the entirety of the island's rugged landscape. The massif shelters a biodiversity unique in the world, where forests of native trees and high-altitude moors (known locally as "branle blanc") protect rare endemic species. Although its name evokes snow, snow remains an exceptional phenomenon on its dark volcanic slopes, a reminder of the harshness of the high-altitude climate in the tropics. The history of the site is also marked by marronage, these peaks having served as impregnable refuges for slaves seeking freedom.

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