Cirque de Cilaos, Volcanic caldera in Réunion Island, France.
Cirque de Cilaos is a volcanic caldera on Reunion Island with a broad valley floor surrounded by steep rock walls and cascading waterfalls. The landscape features dense vegetation on the slopes, natural pools, and deeply carved ravines that have been shaped by water and time.
This caldera formed from the collapse of an ancient volcano and was later shaped by rivers and rainfall. In the 18th century, escaped slaves from sugar plantations found refuge in this remote mountain valley.
The tradition of Jours de Cilaos embroidery remains alive in local workshops, where artisans create intricate needlework patterns. Visitors can watch craftspeople at work and see how this skilled technique has been passed down through families living in the valley.
The RN 5 road from Saint-Louis winds through the mountains to reach this location, passing through various elevations. Visitors should be prepared for changeable weather and heavy rainfall, particularly during the wetter seasons.
This area once recorded one of the highest rainfall amounts globally in a single day, showing the extreme power of water that shapes this landscape. This rare weather event explains why the region is crossed by so many rivers and cascades.
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