Reunion Island

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Your Travel Guide

Reunion Island

The Districts: Cilaos

Located at the foot of the Piton des Neiges, Cilaos sits on the sunniest part of the calderas. You’ll enjoy a memorable drive from Saint Louis up to the village, with 40 km of twists and more than 400 breathtaking turns. Up to 1936, the ascent was made by foot or by sedan-chair.
The tourism development of this mountain resort lies in its thermal springs (discovered in 1815) and hiking.
Indeed, the caldera features several waterfalls and small hamlets, commonly known as “ilets,” where you can enjoy a leisurely stroll past the charming and adorable Creole houses.
For the more energetic visitors, there are hiking trails along the Piton des Neiges and Le Palmiste Rouge; towards the mountain hamlet. The village of Cilaos makes an ideal base for a holiday. It is an attractive, tranquil village with several hotels, (many of them have a spa), and fine restaurants offering local products. You’ll find bottled water from Cilaos in all the restaurants on the island.
Note: it is advised not to drive up to Cilaos after heavy rainfall as the road can become dangerous. Sometimes, the road is even closed after heavy rainfall. For further information, call 02 62 97 27 27 (Information Superhighway).

To see

Irénée Accot Health Spa

Open since 1988, this Health Spa offers a wide range of treatments. The most popular ones are the hydro massage bath, the seaweed wrap and the pressure shower. A beauty salon can also found there. Rich in magnesium, calcium, sodium and iron, the water comes directly from Cilaos. It is open everyday, except on Wednesday afternoons. Tel: 02 62 31 72 27. E-Mail: thermes-cilaos@cg974

Links
  Le thermalisme sous les tropiques (french)

Le Piton-des-Neiges

The highest peak of the island, Le Piton des Neiges is accessible from many spots (Plaine-des-Cafres, Hell-Bourg), but most people start hiking from Cilaos. Yet, it is a difficult hike! Hiking lovers can take up to 8 hours to ascend and descend Le Piton des Neiges. To fully enjoy your hiking experience, spend a night in the Caverne-Dufour gîte (located 3km from the peak). The next morning, you can walk up to the peak to contemplate a spectacular sunrise. It’s only for good climbers!
Maison de la Montagne - Tel: 02 62 90 78 78.


Links
  Cross du Piton des neiges

The Embroidery House (La Maison de la broderie)

Located in the heart of the city, the embroidery house offers a permanent exhibition of local handicraft and embroidery.  Tel: 02 62 31 77 48. Opening Hours: everyday from 09 30 to 12 00 and 14 00 to 17 00 (except on Sunday afternoons).

Calumets track

The Calumet track connects the village of Bras Sec to Palmiste Rouge. It is advised to leave your vehicle in Cilaos and take the bus up to the starting point of the track at the exit of Bras Sec (Tel: 02.62. 31.71.71, tariff : 1€).

Links
  Calumets track

Cilaos, ' A Creole Village’

15 Réunion Island villages belonging to 12 communes hold the “Village Créole” label. This label is a sign of authenticity, the sense of welcome and the respect for traditions and heritage.
This label is not “static”: following a charter, all villages commit themselves to making regular progress regarding the different criteria.

Links
  Cilaos, Village Créole

Happenings

Infos & Projects

Cilaos Mayor : Paul Franco TECHER
Town Hall tel : 02.62.31.89.89
Town Hall address : 66, rue du Père Boiteau. 97413 Cilaos
Postal code : 97413
web site : http://www.ville-cilaos.fr

Office du tourisme : 0262 31 71 71

Surface Area : 8439 hectares
Population: 6115 inhabitants

In Focus

- Sweet delicacies at the cirque
- Enjoy a spa break in the tropics
- The festivity of Saint-Vincent in Cilaos
- Spend a weekend in Cilaos

In this region...

- Rent a Car
- Book an Hotel
- Book an Inn
- Find a Restaurant

Useful Information

Yellow Pages
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Activities

List
- Canyoning
- Mountain biking
- Mountain climbing
- Hiking