Mauritius - Lava Flows

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From the road between Ste-Rose and St-Philippe (RN2) you can see the lava flows which attest to the fact that Piton-de-la-Fournaise is one of the world’s most active volcanoes. Each flow is marked with the date of the eruption from which it originated.

One of the first lava flows you come to as you drive south from Ste-Rose is that of the April 2007 eruption, one of the biggest ever recorded. A viewing platform has been built just off the main RN2 road. Walking on the solidified lava gives you a chance to admire the coiled patterns of rope lava and appreciate the beauty and drama of this extraordinary place. Do take care, though, as lava is very uneven, sometimes fragile and can be very sharp.

The lava flows from the 1970s and 1980s have been colonised by pioneer plants such as sword ferns, lichens, mosses and a few small herbaceous plants.

The lava cliffs around Pointe de la Table are a perfect example of how the volcano has added tens of hectares to the island’s surface area. The views are breathtaking and the furious sea seems locked in a constant battle against the intruding lava.

South of Bois Blanc is La Vierge au Parasol (the Virgin with the Umbrella). She is easily recognisable, dressed in blue and carrying a blue umbrella, designed to help her in her struggle to protect the local families and crops from the fury of the volcano. The local mayor had the Virgin removed just prior to the January 2002 eruption, for fear that she would be destroyed. Local residents were furious and still claim that had she been left there, she would have diverted the lava and they would have had a miracle to rival that of Piton-Ste-Rose. After the 2002 eruption she was re-positioned next to Notre Dame des Laves Church at Piton St-Rose but in 2010 was moved back to her current position, beside the lava flows near Bois Blanc. She is invariably surrounded by a range of offerings from locals of all religions who seek her protection.

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Mauritius - Lava Flows

Eastern Reunion

Mauritius - Lava Flows