The route
The Volcano road leaves the RN3 at Bourg-Murat, by the Cité du Volcan, and climbs 25 km to the Pas de Bellecombe-Jacob car park. It crosses the Plaine des Sables on a scoria track limited to 40 km/h. No bus goes up to the volcano.
From the car park, follow the rampart to the left, then go through the Enclos gate on the right, which closes as soon as the volcano goes on alert. The way down the Bellecombe rampart, about a hundred metres of descent on a steep staircase, takes a quarter of an hour. At its foot stands the Formica Léo, a small cone of red scoria some twenty metres high, born in an eruption in 1753. The Park asks you not to climb it, to protect it.
The path then crosses the Enclos eastwards, following the white marks painted on the basalt slabs. It goes round the Chapelle de Rosemont on the right, a hollow lava vent whose inside was lined with lava stalactites. The July 2018 flow almost buried it, and the old route that went past it is dangerous: do not follow it. The path then climbs at a steady gradient across flows of gratons, the jagged lava that wears out your shoes, and reaches the northern rim of the crater.
At the observation site, at about 2,480 m, you look down into the Dolomieu. On a clear day, the view takes in the Grandes Pentes and, in the distance, the Piton des Neiges. Walking round the crater is forbidden. The way back is the same, and the climb back up the rampart, late in the morning, in the sun or in the fog, is harder than it looks.
Staying overnight
The Gîte du Volcan, rebuilt and reopened in late 2024, stands at 2,240 m, 600 m from the start. It lets you be in the Enclos at sunrise, before the clouds and the crowds. Rooms are booked on legiteduvolcan.re or on +262 692 85 20 91, dormitory beds on +262 262 90 78 78. In 2026, a double room with its own bathroom costs €64 from January to June and €74 from July to December. Electricity is solar, the tap water is not drinkable, there is no mobile signal, and pets are not allowed.
Good to know
Access to the Enclos depends on the volcano. Since the prefectoral order of 7 May 2026, issued after the two eruptions of January and of February to April 2026, the upper Enclos is only open along two waymarked paths, this one included, and staying on the waymarked path is compulsory. The Kapor path, partly buried by a 2026 lava flow, remains closed. As soon as the alert level 1 is declared, when an eruption becomes likely, the Enclos is closed and hikers are evacuated. Check the bulletin of the Piton de la Fournaise volcano observatory the day before. There is neither water nor shade on the way, and clouds often fill the Enclos by late morning: set off around 7 am, with two litres of water, warm clothes and sun protection. Before you leave, RandoMafate shows the state of the Enclos paths, closed automatically as soon as the prefecture declares the alert. It keeps the map offline when fog hides the white marks, and your close ones follow your outing on a simple web page, even where there is no signal.
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
