Maïdo Viewpoint
Belvédère du Maïdo
A ridge viewpoint at about 2,200 metres, overlooking the Mafate cirque a thousand metres below. Clouds surge across at sunrise, and it is reachable by car.
Maïdo sits above the west coast town of Saint-Paul. A winding mountain road climbs from the sea to a summit of about 2,200 metres, passing sugar cane and geranium fields, then cedar forests and high-altitude scrub. The summit viewpoint lies on the western rim of the Mafate cirque. Ahead, sheer cliffs drop away and layered ridges and small hamlets fill the cirque, with Piton Îlet and Grand Bénare visible in the distance. The best time to arrive is around sunrise, when clear skies reveal the full cirque. Usually by late morning clouds rise from the valley and fill the cirque, leaving only a sea of cloud. Fit visitors can walk the ridge trail to Grand Bénare (2,898 metres, roughly 5 to 6 hours return), or descend into Mafate. In the town below there is a paragliding take-off point, from which you can look down on the west coast lagoon from above. The drive from Saint-Gilles takes about 1 hour. The summit can be near 0°C in the early morning, so bring a warm jacket. The viewpoint is free.
Opening hours
All day (sunrise recommended)
Nearby sights
- Cirque de Mafate
- Piton des Neiges
- Cirque de Cilaos
- Mascarin Botanical Garden
- Cirque de Salazie & Hell-Bourg
- Kélonia
- Voile de la Mariée
- Bélouve Forest