The route
From Saint-Joseph, take the route Hubert Delisle (RD3) towards Bézaves, then the RD32 on the right up to the church of Plaine des Grègues, where the car park is. Without a car, CarSud line 72 climbs from the Saint-Joseph bus station in about half an hour, but on Sundays it only runs three times.
Opposite the church, the rue Petite Plaine leads to the boules ground, where the path starts. The warm-up is brutal: more than 150 m of climbing in under a kilometre, up to a first view over the village. After a short descent, cross the route du Terminus and climb along a dirt track between the turmeric fields, whose roots dry on the flat roofs of the houses. At the edge of the rampart, leave on the right the start of the Trois Sources path, closed by prefectoral order after a landslide.
From there a single path climbs, with a few steep pulls and short dips, for more than 500 m of ascent. Views over the Rivière des Remparts follow one another, with Grand Coude, Roche Plate, the Nez de Bœuf and the Morne Langevin. The native forest shelters rare species such as the protected liane de clé, and the Mascarene petrel, an endemic seabird, nests in the Rivière des Remparts. The Piton du Rond, the high point of the loop, is in fact a shelf on the edge of the ridge, at about 1,380 m.
The descent is long and steep. After the National Park core boundary marker, follow "Boucle des Margosiers" to the left, cross two ravines, dry most of the time, then turn left towards the Mottet waterfall. It only flows after heavy rain. A steep descent leads to a dirt track, then a farm, and the rue de l'Îlet and rue du Rond bring you back to the church.
Good to know
Walk the loop in the Park's direction, rampart first, to enjoy the views over the Rivière des Remparts before the clouds, which cover the heights almost every day. The descents are very slippery in wet weather, with high steps. Apart from a water point by the boules ground at the start, there is no water on the way. The closed paths of the area, the Trois Sources one included, branch off the loop without it using them. RandoMafate shows the ONF trail closures and the forecast for the hike before you leave, keeps the map offline where waymarks are scarce, and your close ones follow your outing on a simple web page.
Plan this hike in RandoMafate
The trail map offline, elevation to the metre, ONF closures and the weather for the day, and the people close to you told when you set off and when you are back.
RandoMafate
