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Two versions of the 10-day circuit depending on your van pickup point. Click the card that matches your situation.
10 days in Reunion Island by van
Complete loop from our Saint-Pierre agency: direct volcano start on day one, clockwise tour, smooth return. Free airport shuttle included.
We pick you up at Roland Garros Airport on arrival and take you back on departure day. No extra fee, just a comfortable ride to start and finish your trip smoothly.
Your 10-day route
Click the numbers to see each stop
Packing list, useful phone numbers, bookings to make, practical tips. Everything to start your trip with peace of mind.
Starting from our Saint-Pierre agency, this 10-day loop is designed to be perfectly smooth: you attack the volcano from day one, then continue clockwise — south, east, Salazie, north, west, Cilaos and return through the south. No double drives, no stressful final climbs.
Our free shuttle picks you up at the airport and brings you back, so you can enjoy the van and our support from start to finish. On each stop, you'll find the driving time from the previous day and a Park4night link to choose your favourite camping spot.
Day 1: Volcano & van pickup
Free shuttle from the airport to our Saint-Pierre agency. Van pickup in the morning, full briefing, complimentary coffee. Quick restocking, then direct drive up to Bourg-Murat via Le Tampon to prepare for the sunrise hike the next day.
Arrival in mid-afternoon at the Pas de Bellecombe for a first approach to the crater: discover the Plaine des Sables, a Martian landscape. Night at altitude (1,600 m) to ease acclimatization and tackle the volcano at dawn the next day.
Let us know 48h ahead with your flight number. We'll wait for you with a sign at the exit; the airport → agency drive takes about 1h.
Day 2: Petite-Île
Volcano drive down in late morning. Head to Petite-Île, a small preserved southern village far from tourist crowds. Walk on the coastal trail, stop at Grande Anse beach (one of the most beautiful on the island, warning: swimming dangerous). Typical Creole lunch in a small local snack bar.
Afternoon: viewpoint over Manapany-les-Bains and its natural pools carved into the volcanic rock. Quiet night in the area.
Swimming only in the supervised pool area. The beach is beautiful but the currents are dangerous — please respect the signs.
Day 3: Saint-Philippe
Drive through the Wild South to Saint-Philippe. Mandatory stop at the Étang-Salé blowhole, then passage through the 2007 lava flows that run down to the ocean: a spectacular lunar landscape where new vegetation is taking over.
Visit the Garden of Scents and Spices (a magnificent botanical trail in the primary forest), lunch with local cari-camaron. Night in Saint-Philippe, in a dense tropical environment.
Day 4: Sainte-Rose
Head to Sainte-Rose in the morning, on the east coast. Visit the famous Notre-Dame des Laves, a church miraculously spared by the 1977 lava flow that engulfed the rest of the village. Walk at the Anse des Cascades, a magnificent site where waterfalls drop into the ocean among the palm trees.
Stop at Piton Sainte-Rose and its ponds. Night in the area, by the ocean.
Day 5: Salazie Cirque
Drive up to the Salazie Cirque via Saint-André. Mandatory stop at the Bridal Veil waterfall, then arrival in Hell-Bourg, listed among the most beautiful villages in France: Creole houses, museum, period thermal baths.
Creole lunch (cari bichiques is the cirque's specialty). Afternoon: easy walk to Bélouve or a hike to Trou de Fer for the most motivated. Night in the cirque, to the sound of the waterfalls.
Salazie is the wettest cirque. Favor afternoon visits, when the clouds partially clear.
Day 6: Saint-Denis
Drive down from Salazie to Saint-Denis in the morning. Discover the capital: Chaudron covered market, rue de Paris and its stunning colonial Creole houses, Barachois facing the ocean. Lunch in town, an urban atmosphere very different from the rest of the island.
Afternoon: head west along the coastal road toward Le Port and Saint-Paul. Saint-Paul outdoor market on Friday and Saturday (one of the most beautiful on the island). Night on the west coast, in preparation for the Maïdo.
Day 7: Maïdo at sunrise
Wake up at 4 AM for the drive up to Maïdo. Arrive at the summit before sunrise: breathtaking views over the Mafate cirque in a sea of clouds. THE unforgettable panorama of the trip, earned by the early wake-up.
Drive down in the morning, walk through the tamarind forest of the Highlands. Return to the west coast in the early afternoon to unwind: beach, lagoon, or just doing nothing.
Departure at 4 AM to be at the summit around 6 AM. The sea of clouds over Mafate usually fades by 8 AM.
Day 8: Saint-Gilles & lagoon
Well-earned day of rest after the intensity of the first days. Ermitage beach and its turquoise lagoon, snorkeling among the tropical fish, Saint-Gilles-les-Bains for the vibe. Possible visit to Kélonia (sea turtle observatory) or boat trip (dolphins year-round, whales July to October).
Seafood dinner at the Saint-Gilles harbor. Night facing the ocean, cradled by the lagoon.
Day 9: Cilaos Cirque
Drive down to Saint-Louis, then climb up the legendary 400 switchbacks road to Cilaos. Arrival in the morning: listed Creole village, thermal baths, wine cellars (the only French tropical vineyard). High-altitude lunch (specialty: Cilaos PGI lentils).
Afternoon: easy hike to Fleurs Jaunes or Roche Merveilleuse, breathtaking panorama over the ramparts. Night in the cirque under the moonlight.
Fleurs Jaunes: easy, 2h. Roche Merveilleuse accessible by car for the view. Piton des Neiges: 8h round-trip for athletic hikers.
Day 10: Return to Saint-Pierre
Early departure from Cilaos: easy drive down the 400 switchbacks, lunch stop at Entre-Deux (listed Creole village, a preserved gem). Return to our Saint-Pierre agency in the early afternoon.
Quiet van return, then free shuttle to Roland Garros Airport for your return flight. Smooth end of trip, with ten days of memories still vivid in your mind.
Van returned at our Saint-Pierre agency. Allow 30 min for the inventory, then free shuttle to the airport (depending on your flight time).
A perfect loop: start from Saint-Pierre, go all the way around, come back to Saint-Pierre. Ten days without useless drives, just the island in its natural flow.
— The Van La Réunion teamBook the Saint-Pierre loop
Loop circuit round trip from our agency. Free airport shuttle included, on arrival and return.
Book now →10 days in Reunion Island by van
Ten days from Roland Garros Airport: Salazie, Wild South, volcano, Cilaos, Maïdo and return. Van delivered directly at the terminal on arrival, returned at the same place before your departure flight.
Your 10-day route
Click the numbers to see each stop
Packing list, useful phone numbers, bookings to make, practical tips. Everything to start your trip with peace of mind.
Starting from Roland Garros Airport, this 10-day circuit takes you on a full tour of the island counter-clockwise: Salazie first, then down the wild east coast, volcano, back up through the south-west with Cilaos, Maïdo and lagoon, and return through the north. A balanced route between nature, volcano, UNESCO cirques and beach relaxation. On each stop, you'll find the driving time and a Park4night link.
Day 1: Arrival & Salazie
Van pickup at Roland Garros Airport. Direct drive to the Salazie Cirque via Saint-André. Mandatory first stop at the Bridal Veil waterfall, then drive up to Hell-Bourg, listed among the most beautiful villages in France.
Discover the Creole houses, walk through the village, Creole lunch (cari bichiques is the specialty). Afternoon: easy walk to Bélouve. Night in the cirque, to the sound of the waterfalls.
Van delivered directly to the Roland Garros airport terminal. Allow 30 min for the inventory and handover.
Day 2: Sainte-Rose
Drive down from Salazie to the east coast. Head to Sainte-Rose: visit the famous Notre-Dame des Laves, a church miraculously spared by the 1977 lava flow that engulfed the rest of the village. Walk at the Anse des Cascades, a magnificent site where waterfalls drop into the ocean among the palm trees.
Stop at Piton Sainte-Rose and its ponds. Night in the area, by the ocean.
Day 3: Saint-Philippe
Head to Saint-Philippe, the extreme volcanic south-east. Passage through the 2007 lava flows that run down to the ocean: a spectacular lunar landscape where new vegetation is taking over. Photo stop at the Étang-Salé blowhole.
Visit the Garden of Scents and Spices (a magnificent botanical trail in the primary forest), lunch with local cari-camaron. Night in Saint-Philippe, in a dense tropical environment.
Day 4: Langevin waterfall & Grande Anse
Morning at the Langevin waterfall (Langevin river), one of the most photographed sites on the island: a chain of waterfalls and turquoise pools set in tropical vegetation. Swimming possible in the natural pools upstream (Trou Noir, Bassin Boeuf).
Afternoon: head to Grande Anse, a paradise beach lined with coconut trees. Swimming only in the supervised pool area (the beach is beautiful but the currents are dangerous). Night in the area.
Strictly respect the signs: swimming only in the supervised pool area. Open-sea currents are treacherous.
Day 5: Piton de la Fournaise
Drive up to Bourg-Murat the evening before if possible, otherwise departure before dawn from the coast. Road to the Pas de Bellecombe, crossing of the Plaine des Sables, a Martian landscape.
Round-trip hike to the Dolomieu crater (5-6h) or shorter Formica Léo loop (2h). Drive back down at the end of the day to Le Tampon or Saint-Pierre. Night on the coast.
Parking departure before 7 AM is a must: after that, the volcano often gets clouded over and visibility drops. Allow 5 to 6h round-trip to the crater.
Day 6: Saint-Pierre
Day in Saint-Pierre, the capital of the south and the liveliest city in Reunion Island. Saturday morning market (the biggest on the island), walk along the waterfront, downtown beach for a quiet swim.
Lunch in one of the many seaside restaurants (fresh fish, refined Creole cuisine). Relaxed afternoon: shopping, terraces, local life. Evening in the waterfront bars — guaranteed ambiance.
Day 7: Cilaos Cirque
Drive up to Cilaos via the legendary 400 switchbacks road. Arrive in the listed Creole village in the morning: thermal baths, wine cellars (the only French tropical vineyard), local market. High-altitude lunch (Cilaos PGI lentils are the specialty).
Afternoon: easy hike to Fleurs Jaunes or Roche Merveilleuse, breathtaking panorama over the ramparts. Night in the cirque with ramparts lit by moonlight.
Fleurs Jaunes: easy, 2h. Roche Merveilleuse accessible by car. Piton des Neiges: 8h round-trip for athletic hikers.
Day 8: Maïdo at sunrise
Early drive down from Cilaos to the west coast. Wake up at 4 AM (or sleep at the summit the night before) for the drive up to Maïdo. Arrive before sunrise: breathtaking views over the Mafate cirque in a sea of clouds. THE unforgettable panorama of the trip.
Drive down in the morning, walk through the tamarind forest of the Highlands. Free afternoon on the west coast to recover from the early wake-up.
Departure at 4 AM to be at the summit around 6 AM. The sea of clouds over Mafate usually fades by 8 AM.
Day 9: Saint-Gilles & lagoon
Well-earned day of rest. Ermitage beach and its turquoise lagoon, snorkeling among the tropical fish, Saint-Gilles-les-Bains for the vibe, Saint-Leu for surfing, paragliding or a visit to Kélonia (sea turtle observatory).
Possible boat trip (dolphins year-round, whales July to October). Seafood dinner at the Saint-Gilles harbor. Night facing the ocean.
Day 10: Return to Saint-Denis
Smooth drive back to Saint-Denis along the coastal road. Morning in the capital: Chaudron market for souvenirs (flavored rums, Bourbon vanilla, Creole spices), walk on rue de Paris and its colonial houses, Barachois facing the ocean. Creole lunch before the airport.
Van returned directly at Roland Garros Airport. End of trip with ten days of memories still vivid in your mind.
Returned at Roland Garros Airport, no extra charge. Allow 30 min for the inventory before your flight.
Ten days in Reunion Island by van: a concentrate of emotions, landscapes and flavors that hardly fade from memory.
— The Van La Réunion teamBook Airport round trip
Van delivered directly at the Roland Garros terminal. Discount pricing from 7 days of rental.
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