Piton de la Fournaise, Active volcano in Reunion Island, France
Piton de la Fournaise is a shield volcano on the eastern side of Réunion with an 8-kilometer-wide caldera called Enclos Fouqué, whose cliffs stretch toward the sea. The crater walls display layers of solidified basalt and tephrite, while fresh black lava fields lie inside between older frozen flows.
The first documented eruption took place in 1640, and since then the volcano has experienced more than 300 eruptions, with the most recent activity recorded in August 2023. The 1977 and 2007 eruptions reshaped the summit and created new craters within the caldera.
The name translates from French as furnace peak, referencing the glowing lava that spills from its craters during active phases. Locals sometimes call it simply le volcan when discussing current activity or planning visits to the summit.
Multiple hiking trails connect to observation points around the volcano, though access becomes restricted during periods of increased seismic activity or eruptions. Weather at the summit can shift quickly and thick clouds may obscure views of the caldera within minutes.
The Notre-Dame des Laves church remained standing after the 1977 eruption despite lava flows that destroyed numerous buildings in Piton-Sainte-Rose village. The lava stream split around the church building and flowed into the sea on both sides, which community members interpreted as a sign.
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