#bernd bierbaum

[travelbloggabrielaaufreisen]

400 curves to Cilaos

400 curves to Cilaos

La Réunion´s wild hinterland Just to say it in advance, I did not count the curves, I count on the knowledge of the bus driver and he should know that, right? :-) (Für Deutsch) on the road to Cilaos Today my colleagues and I, with whom I’m on a seminar tour with the German tour operator Studiosus, are allowed to sleep a little longer. However later on, we again go on a hike. This time it will be…

View On WordPress

[gabrielaaufreisen]

400 curves to Cilaos

La Réunion´s wild hinterland

Just to say it in advance, I did not count the curves, I count on the knowledge of the bus driver and he should know that, right?  (Für Deutsch)

on the road to Cilaos

Today my colleagues and I, with whom I’m on a seminar tour with the German tour operator Studiosus, are allowed to sleep a little longer. However later on, we again go on a hike. This time it will be in the hinterland of the island of La Réunion, which is very mountainous and predominantly green. Of over 1,000 km of hiking trails, some of them are very demanding, can be chosen. And no dangerous or poisonous animals. That reassures me …

on the road to Cilaos

Before breakfast, I swim a few laps in the huge pool of our hotel, the Lux St. Gilles, others go jogging through the garden that is lined with huge trees or down by the beach. You need slippers here, because the coral reef grows almost up to the beach. Because of this snorkeling is fun and you can watch a lot of fish.

I eat a bit more from the huge buffet this morning. Especially the different crisp kinds of bread and the warm crêpes with fresh fruit I can´t resist. Who knows, how long today´s hike will be, before we´ll have our picnic at the waterfall.

But first now Bernd Bierbaum, our Studiosus guide us is waiting for us. He has published several travel books and traveled through many countries. To listen to his inexhaustible knowledge and his stories, makes the ride very entertaining until we reach the mountain road to Cilaos.

on the road to Cilaos

In former times the visitors of the small mountain village of Cilaos were carried here in sedan chairs, we sit in a comfortable bus that goes much faster anyway … although, sometimes the bus drives little more than walking pace. The road seldom has two lanes, constantly the driver honks, because no one can see what or who is behind the next tight turn, or perhaps stands at the roadside. Again and again we see the pink public bus, which transports the inhabitants of the small mountain villages reliably. We’re in France, every inhabitant should somehow get reached.

We get higher and higher. The view on the jagged and steep mountainsides besides and above us or on the other side of the now and then to be seen small river gets more and more fantastic.

Some of us, however get queasy. I’m glad I’m really rollercoaster fit, I am too much fascinated by the sight of this wild and beautiful region. Long ago runaway slaves hid here from their captors. Hard to believe that in this impenetrable thickets someone could be found.

And then comes the first tunnel, a good 80 years old and in those days vehicles were probably much smaller than today. The bus driver must properly juggle to get the vehicle to pass through. The mirrors are folded, while at the left and right there is only a 2 cm gap and the bus will touch the rock wall. I am glad that I can sit back ….

Cilaos

We arrive late in the morning at Cilaos that is situated 1220 m above sea level. Here there is a real hustle, it’s Sunday market day. Unfortunately, we do not have time for that. From here, ambitious hikers start to climb on the highest mountain of the island, the Piton des Neiges. Every now and then snow lies on it, as the name suggests, but only very rarely, and now’s the summer.

But first we do not walk up but down to one of the many waterfalls. Going down sounds good and it is not as hot here as by the sea, about 25 degrees Celsius. Let’s go. The men in our group carry our picnic utensils, also the delicious red wine of this area. If that’s not encouragement enough?!

But before the pleasure comes the work, in this case the hike. The paths are well marked, and an approximate time indication is written on a sign. About 45 minutes it should take, that should work for me.

It soon becomes clear to me that this path is not an easy one. It is quite steep downhill. But it always winds through the forest or in the shade. The steps I do not count any longer, too many are there and I am busy to keep my balance in order not to slip. Mostly it goes down very steep, but again and again as a reward we get a unique view of the mountains around us.

I hear it roar, is that is the waterfall? No, unfortunately not. We have to cross a mountain stream on slippery rocks or on an eben more slippery tree trunk. Bernd is a real gentleman and walks into the water to allow us to cross over with dry feet..

Waterfall

To say it beforehand, we need more than 45 minutes, but the little waterfall that is waiting for us at the foot of the mountain was worth the hike. And the picnic also. Fresh cheese, crispy baguettes, spicy salami, olives and wine. Bernd has thought of everything. Unfortunately the way back uphill is waiting for us.

At my request, when the sedan chair bearers will arrive, I get only a mild smile. What was wrong with this question?

Amazingly, I manage the hike uphill to Cilaos in less time than it took me down there. What I would give now for a nice coffee.

We must go back, because in the hotel a delicious dinner is waiting for us. Although I do not count the curves on the way back, I look it up in a travel guide. 262 serpentines it should be. Did the bus driver fib about it?

You like what I write? That´s good! Find more on my facebook site or on instagram.

[gabrielaaufreisen]

Dance on the farting Volcano

On La Réunion´s Hotspot

Who does not look forward to sun and heat during the deepest winter in Germany ? (Zum deutschen Beitrag.) May be not them who like to ski. But unfortunately I do not belong to them.

So I’m very glad to be able to fly with a group of 23 colleagues from other travel agencies, on invitation with the study tours tour operator Studiosus to La Réunion and Mauritius. Both islands are only about 200 km apart in the Indian Ocean, not far from Madagascar.

Sunset at the Lux St. Gilles Hotel

Here is now the height of summer and the rainy season, but it’s warm all the time. At the airport we get greeted by our Studiosus guide Bernd Bierbaum, who is amongst other things a well known writer of travel literature.

After a stroll through the town of St-Denis, we cross the most expensive piece of road in Europe (yes La Réunion belongs to France) to our location Hotel Lux St. Gilles.

Entrance to the Lux St. Gilles

A bath in the huge pool or snorkeling on the reef, which starts at the hotel, will bring back some life into our bleary-eyed group.

Piton de la Fournaise

Nevertheless, we go to bed early after a delicious meal at the beach restaurant of the hotel . The next morning Bernd wants us to get to know the island a bit better with a hike on the very active volcano, called “Piton de la Fournaise”, also affectionately spoken of the “farting volcano”. Why farting? Again and again mostly smaller lava flows break out of it. It is closely monitored, so our walk is a very calculated risk.

On the way to the caldera of the Piton de la Fournaise

We start very early, because we have to drive about two hours. On the coast highway, the road of tamarind, we go to St-Pierre and turn to the left there. At the elongated town of Le Tampon, that has nothing to do with the same named hygiene products, the road winds up higher and higher. The higher and the closer we get to the volcano, the sparser the vegetation gets until it almost disappears. Here the last eruption is not so long ago as the first mosses or lichens could not gain a foothold by now.

at the Piton de la Fornaise

At the edge of the giant caldera, its diameter measures almost 10 km, we leave the bus at the lookout Pas de Bellecombe. Now we have to put on hiking shoes, bring rain gear and especially good protection against the merciless burning sun.

At Pas de Bellecombe

The weather here is unpredictable, early appearing is a chance to experience the volcano cloudless. Mostly, the summit is wrapped in clouds later in the day. But all the way up, we do not want to hike anyway, because there is not enough time.

The view over the rim of the caldera is breathtaking. So I would probably imagine the surface of the moon. Without vegetation, empty, reddish to black, to cut it short: hostile. For nothing in the world I want to miss the hike down into this desolate and so completely opposite scenery of the otherwise so incredibly green island.

View from the lookout to the Piton de la Fournaise

But to get there, we almost have to go 200 m straight down. A footpath, counting the steps I eventually gave up, leads down at the rim of the caldera. Along the way, even some bushes and shrubs grow.

Wow, my legs hurt! Once at the bottom I hate to think of the way up, because here is no other way that takes you back.

At Piton de la Fournaise

I stand on the solidified lava. From above it seemed so flat. However here I see how uneven and fissured it really is. Spiky edges, wide columns, steep and smooth plates I can see.

The trail is marked with white stripes. You have to follow it, then the crossing of the plain is relatively risk free. Nevertheless, I look at each step that take, I jump over small gaps and climb over small hillocks. Again and again I am glad that I am wearing my solid walking shoes.

On the small crater Formica Leo Bernd tells us something about the different kinds of lava that can be found here and which have Hawaiian names.

Pahoehoe Lava

We see the Pahoehoe with its ropy appearance and the Aa forming sharp-edged chunks. We continue. It is hot. Clouds have wrapped around the high crater. Do I need my raincoat soon? Hopefully not.

Formica Leo

After approximately two kilometers we reach the Chapelle de Rosemont, a volcano wall, which looks like a chapel, with entrance and windows. Inside countless volcano stalactites hang down the ceiling. This is the end point for today, from here would start the real climb to the 2600m high crater rim.

Volcano stalactites

So far, I have already got a wonderful impression of this unique landscape. Even the clouds are gone. What a majestic sight of this active volcano I get!. Although it is only the second day of this trip, for me personally it might already be the highlight. To this I was so much looking forward!

And then I see something that I did not expect in this remote area. A little flower clings in a sheltered corner of the lava. When will it happen that everything is green again? Does it take another 100 years? 200? 500? Will a new, larger volcanic eruption destroy the first timid attempts of vegetation again? Who knows!

Chapelle de Rosemont

The way back to the foot of the caldera rim is relatively simple, on the stairs I pant pretty neat, but at least the path is mostly in the shade and I still got some water.

Shortly before our departure clouds come up so that the whole landscape is wrapped in fog. Then rain starts to pour down. How lucky we have been! Now I close my eyes and dream of a dance on the volcano …

Dance on the volcano

// <![CDATA[ amazon_ad_tag = "gabrielaaufre-21"; amazon_ad_width = "728"; amazon_ad_height = "90"; amazon_ad_logo = "hide"; amazon_ad_link_target = "new"; amazon_ad_discount = "remove"; amazon_ad_exclude = "sex"; amazon_ad_categories = "abln"; // ]]>

You would like to see more pictures from my past and future travels? Please visit my facebook  or instagram site. “Please like me if you like me!”

The window in the Chapelle de Rosemont