Mauritius - Cirque De Mafate

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Spanning 72km², Mafate is the smallest and most tropical of the cirques. On its northern rim is the Plaine d’Affouches, which overlooks St-Denis and the north coast. On its western rim is Piton Maïdo (2,190m), which overlooks the dry west coast. To its south lies the Cirque de Cilaos.

Mafate is a wild, sparsely inhabited, mystifying place. Its name has suitably intriguing origins: it is said that a Malagasy sorcerer and runaway slave, named Mafaty (meaning ‘dangerous one’), lived at the foot of Le Bronchard (1,261m). He was eventually caught in 1751 by François Mussard, a bounty hunter.

The cirque’s first inhabitants were indeed runaway slaves after the agricultural colonisation of the island in the 1730s, then the Créoles Blancs (White Creoles) arrived following the abolition of slavery in 1848. Today, approximately 650 people reside in remote mountain hamlets, such as Marla, La Nouvelle and Aurère. They live off the land, in virtual isolation from the outside world. There are no roads, just 100km of walking trails. Supplies such as medication are brought in by helicopter, yet many of the Mafatais have never seen a car.

Visitors need to spend at least two days in Mafate to get a feel for the cirque. Access is on foot from Cilaos, via the Col du Taïbit, from Hell-Bourg via the Col des Bœufs, and from Maïdo, Sans-Souci, or Dos d’Ane. The easiest option is from Hell-Bourg; even easier is flying in by helicopter. If your time is limited, Piton Maïdo, which is accessible by car from St-Paul, provides superb views of the cirque.

There have been some terrible stories of hikers disappearing and even being found murdered in Mafate. Don’t panic; this hasn’t happened for a while! However, it is always safer to hike with other people, preferably a qualified guide, and a wise precaution is to tell someone where you’re going and for how long.

Where to stay Many independent hikers choose to camp in this remote area. It can be a wonderful experience with fabulous starry skies. However, it does get very cold so bring along suitable clothing. If you do camp, be sure to clear up completely when you leave.

The alternatives to camping are gîtes de montagne and gîtes d’étapes. For details of these, see Chapter 15, Accommodation, pages 269-77.

Where to eat If you’re staying in a gîte, you can order breakfast and dinner in advance. You’ll need to bring any other food with you, to fuel all that walking. If you run out of snacks, don’t despair – there are small food shops in most of Mafate’s villages, including La Nouvelle, Marla, Roche Plate, Grande Place les Hauts, Ilet à Malheur, Aurère and Ilet aux Orangers. They are usually closed on Sunday afternoon and Monday morning.

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Mauritius - Cirque De Mafate

Cirques

Mauritius - Cirque De Mafate