Cirque de Cilaos
France, europe
16.6 km
1,586 m
extreme
Year-round
# Cirque de Cilaos: A Thrilling Mountain Drive
Nestled on the French island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean, the Cirque de Cilaos is a breathtaking natural rock amphitheater sitting pretty at 1,586m (5,203ft) above sea level. And getting there? Absolutely worth every white-knuckle moment of the drive!
The winding route—known as D20 (Route Forestière 11 des Makes)—climbs steeply through the Forêt Domaniale des Makes forest. Thanks to the intense gradient, the road is solidly asphalted and concrete, which is a good thing because you'll need all the traction you can get. Over 400 curves and 18 hairpin turns snake their way up the mountain, each one rewarding you with another jaw-dropping vista.
Starting from Le Gol on the D3 Road, you're looking at a 16.6km climb that gains a serious 1,214m in elevation. The average grade sits around 7.31%, with some gnarly sections hitting 10%. Fair warning: this road is *narrow*—we're talking barely room for two cars to pass. Your knuckles might be gripping the steering wheel pretty tight on those tighter sections!
Once you reach the summit, you'll find a small parking area and a few communication towers marking the top. It's not just an endpoint; it's a genuine accomplishment. The views? Absolutely legendary.
Where is it?
Cirque de Cilaos is located in France (europe). Coordinates: -21.1353, 55.4711
Road Details
- Country
- France
- Continent
- europe
- Length
- 16.6 km
- Max Elevation
- 1,586 m
- Difficulty
- extreme
- Coordinates
- -21.1353, 55.4711
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