The Cirque de Salazie is the eastern of the three crater basins on the extinct volcano Piton des Neiges on the island Reunion in the Indian Ocean.
places
Dynamic cards
In the whole cirque there are about 6,000 inhabitants, who are spread over the three larger towns and a few smaller hamlets.
- 1 Hell-Bourg (800 m): former health resort with thermal springs and tourism, bears the label "Plus beau village de France" and is one of the "most beautiful villages in France", an association of around 150 localities.
- 2 Salacia (470m)
- 3 Le Grand Ilet
- 4 Mare à Vieille Place
Other goals
background
The origin The name Salazie, which has only been officially used since 1835, has not been clearly clarified. According to one variant, it is derived from the three "Salazes", but the three striking rocks are in the neighboring Cirque de Mafat. Another derivation is based on the Madagascan "Salazhon" for "good camp" and yet another name is derived from the name of an escaped slave called Salazie.
The crater basin has an irregular circular plan with a maximum diameter of approx. 10 to 12 kilometers and is therefore somewhat larger than the two other crater basins on the island. It is drained to the northeast by the "Riviére du Mat".
The Cirque de Salazie is easily accessible from the north and was the first of the three populated crater basins in the island's interior around 1830. Since then, the fertile region has been used for agriculture, and even today mainly fruits and vegetables are grown.
The basin experienced its first tourist highlight when thermal springs were discovered near Bras-Sec in 1831 and Hell-Bourg subsequently developed into a bathing resort by the end of the 19th century. This development was suddenly stopped when landslides after a cyclone buried the springs in 1920. Many worth seeing Creole villas in the place still bear witness to the great times.
In modern times, tourism is increasingly developing around the Cirque de Salazie as a hiking region.
Emergence
The jagged relief of the Cirque de Salazie crater basin has, analogous to the south-west adjoining Cirque de Cilaos and to the west Cirque de Mafate, probably two mechanisms of origin:
- After emptying the magma chamber during one of the last eruptions of the volcano Piton des Neiges and the collapse of the volcanic vent created a caldera.
- The "erosive slope development" as a result of the special circumstances prevailing in Réunion with high precipitation on the steep slopes and a special chemistry through acid input of the tropical vegetation into the rock then formed the deeply cut gullies and "slope gullies".
For detailed information on volcanism see also the article on Piton des Neiges and to Reunion.
getting there
From Saint-Andre on the northeast coast of the island, a scenic road (D48) leads along the river bed of the "Riviére du Mat" into the Cirque.
mobility
Tourist Attractions
water falls
In the crater basin there are countless waterfalls that support the high and steep slopes.
- 1 Voile de la Mariée with salazia;
activities
hike
- The adjacent crater basin on the southwest side Cirque de Cilaos is on the hiking trail GR R1 over the ascent to the hut Caverne Dufour at the Piton des Neiges and from there onwards Cilaos accessible as a hike.
kitchen
nightlife
security
climate
General remarks on Island climate see in the article too Reunion.
The Cirque de Salazie is located on the east side (weather side) of the island and is also open to the east and thus exposed to the humid trade winds of the Indian Ocean, the region is therefore one of the rainiest and greenest areas of the island, but there is also fog all over the place Very often throughout the year.
The dry season is that winter on Réunion from May to October with more moderate temperatures and less rainfall. The morning usually starts sunny, but no later than noon it draws in from the east coast, and the crater basin is then at the latest in the early afternoon in fog and it rains until evening. Occasionally it clears up again during the night.
The summer In the southern hemisphere, the months of November to April are on Réunion, it is the much more humid and warmer season, the air is humid and warm with daytime temperatures above 30 degrees and a peak of precipitation around the months from January to March, it then mostly rains more or less intense throughout the day.
With the unrestrained influence of the Cyclones and the associated large amounts of rain, the Cirque de Salazie is also repeatedly the site of major floods and landslides, for example in the years 1875, 1920 (thermal springs in Hell-Bourg buried) and 1979.
literature
cards
- Geographic National Institute (Ed.): ST-DENIS 1:25 000 (for hikers); Vol.4402 RT. Paris, Carte de Randonee topographique Top 25 (in French). Approx. € 11, available on site and at French airports
Web links
- Official tourism site for all of Réunion: www.reunion.fr
