Route du Volcan Scenic Drive

The Route du Volcan is a scenic drive in central-south Réunion, a French island in the Indian Ocean, climbing from Bourg-Murat on the RN3 and then the D161 across the high plain of La Plaine des Sables to the rim of the Piton de la Fournaise volcano. The road passes from farmland pasture near Bourg-Murat to bare volcanic rock within a few kilometres, a stretch of red and black ash and rock that looks more like a desert plateau than a tropical island. That abrupt change is the main reason to make the drive rather than just visit the volcano car park. Along the way, visitors can stop at viewpoints over Plaine des Cafres, walk out onto the cinders at roadside pullouts, and photograph the craters. The crossing of La Plaine des Sables, where the road cuts straight across an open expanse of volcanic ash with almost no vegetation, is the highlight. The route ends at the Pas de Bellecombe overlook onto the volcano's crater. The return drive to Pas de Bellecombe takes two to three hours including stops, and fuel for the trip costs approximately €15 to €20. Cloud typically builds over the volcano rim as the day goes on, so driving up in the morning gives the best chance of a clear view. The road is busiest at weekends and when the volcano is active, and quieter on weekday mornings. It closes when an eruption begins, so visitors check the status with the volcano observatory before setting out. No public transport runs along the D161, so a car is required; from Saint-Denis the journey to Bourg-Murat takes about an hour and a half via the RN3. There are no services past Bourg-Murat, so fuel, food and water should be arranged beforehand, and weather layers are important as temperatures drop with altitude.