Things to do — Mafate

Mafate is lived essentially on foot. Here are the classic itineraries depending on your level and the time available.

Discovery 2 days / 1 night: round trip Maïdo → La Nouvelle or Maïdo → Roche Plate. Descent from Maïdo (2,205 m) to La Nouvelle (1,421 m) in 3-4h, night in family gîte, return the next day by the same itinerary (4-5h as ascent). Variant: descent Maïdo → Roche Plate (4h), night, return Maïdo (4-5h). Allows tasting the experience without major commitment.

Classic loop 3 days / 2 nights: Maïdo → La Nouvelle → Marla → col du Taïbit → Cilaos. Day 1: descent Maïdo → La Nouvelle (3-4h), night in gîte. Day 2: traverse of the cirque to Marla (4-5h, superb central traverse), night in gîte. Day 3: climb to the col du Taïbit (2,081 m, 1h30) then descent to Cilaos (3h). Car retrieval logistics to organise (taxi from Cilaos to Maïdo: €50-80).

Grand traverse 4-5 days: Maïdo → La Nouvelle → Roche Plate → Aurère → Sans Souci. Alternative variant that crosses the entire cirque from west to east-north, with contrasting stages.

GR R2 integral 11 days: the mythical traverse from Saint-Denis to Saint-Pierre, through the cirques and the volcano. Passes through Mafate on 3-4 days (depending on variant), then chains Salazie, Cilaos, Plaine des Cafres, Piton de la Fournaise, Saint-Joseph. For very experienced hikers, to organise several months in advance.

Complementary activities in the îlets: shared dinner with the host family (homemade carry, rougail, grains, rhum arrangé as aperitif), maloya evening with local musicians (sometimes organised at La Nouvelle), starry sky observation (exceptionally pure Milky Way, useful binoculars), meetings with inhabitants (in the morning on the gîte terraces).