The three cirques
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Three huge cirques have collapsed around the Piton des Neiges,
Mafate, Cilaos and Salazie.
The three cirques really have their characteristics.
Mafate is very difficult to access. No road has been built, only walk paths.
Being in the western part of the island makes it the driest of the three cirques.
A few people live there in small villages. Electricity is provided thanks to generators and
solar energy. Fresh supplies for the shops and emergency transports are done by helicopter.
If you don't like hiking, you will have a splendid view from the Piton Ma∩do, where you can
go by car from St Paul. You'd better arrive there early in the morning before the fog appears.
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This cirque is accessible by car from St Louis, but what a road!! If you usually feel sick on
twisty roads, take your tablets with you...
Cilaos is well-known for its "ilets", small tablelands lost between gullies and cliffs like
tiny islands. Its thermal sources have made Cilaos famous all around the Indian Ocean.
Cilaos embroidery, introduced centuries ago by a nun from Britany, is a real art.
People there grow a particular type of lentil. But much more famous is the
wine of Cilaos. It is a very sweet wine, which you'd rather have as an aperitive.
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Half an hour drive away from St-Andre, Salazie is by far the easiest to access. It also
is the greenest...since it is the rainiest.
Wonderful waterfalls, prolific vegetation, dramatic views...
The chouchou is the main cultivation. This vegetable can be eaten in salted meals as well as
in cakes.
CapturΘ par MemoWeb α partir de http://www-eleves.int-evry.fr/~narassig/run/eng/cirque.html le 10/02/97
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