Îlet à Cordes (Mafate) Village

Îlet à Cordes is one of the inhabited hamlets inside the Cirque de Mafate on Réunion, a French island in the Indian Ocean. The cirque is so enclosed that no road reaches it: everyone and everything, including supplies, comes in on foot or by helicopter. Small terraced plots of vegetables and geraniums cling to the slopes around scattered Creole houses, and the settlement survives on subsistence farming and the gîtes that host hikers. Staying overnight here means experiencing Mafate's isolation first-hand rather than just viewing it from a rim lookout. The usual approach is on foot from Col des Bœufs, passing through La Nouvelle and Roche Plate, a hike of around four hours one way that makes for a full day of walking. Helicopter flights run from Saint-Pierre aerodrome with Héli Réunion. On arrival, visitors can walk among the cultivated terraces worked by families who still live without road access, see the simple Creole houses and the small village chapel, and enjoy views of ridgelines and cliffs from the hamlet. The gîte offers dormitory beds and half-board dinner and breakfast at about €15 to €30 per person. Hikers usually arrive on set trail schedules and share the evening meal, a Creole dish of rice, lentils and meat or fish. June to September is the best time, with drier weather and clearer skies, and mornings give the best views before cloud builds. The hamlet is quiet outside the dry-season trekking period but fills quickly from July to August. Beds are limited, so booking ahead through the keeper is needed. Walkers should carry water, rain protection and cash, since no cash machines exist inside the cirque. The climb out the next day is demanding, so an early start helps. Mobile coverage is patchy, which suits those seeking disconnection.