Route de Cilaos
Saint-Louis to Cilaos, Réunion, France
The Route de Cilaos is one of Réunion’s classic journeys: a winding mountain road that climbs into the heart of the cirque through cliff scenery, tunnels and countless bends. The road is famous not simply for getting you somewhere, but for making the approach itself memorable. It is the principal gateway to Cilaos and the route most visitors remember long after the trip. Its appeal lies in the sequence of views, the dramatic engineering and the sense of entering a high mountain world. Official tourism pages emphasise its 400 bends and its role as the only road into the cirque, so it naturally belongs near the top of any Things to Do list. For drivers and passengers alike, it is one of the island’s signature experiences.