Dos d'Âne, a small village in the hills around the municipality of La Possession, is the starting point for many hiking trails including the one that goes via the famous Cape Noir belvedere. Lasting around two hours, the short circular walk around the rock named Roche Verre Bouteille will first take you to the deep valley of the Galets river, before arriving at the remarkable site of the Cape Noir peak. From this marvellous belvedere, which has a kiosk and orientation table, on a clear morning you can enjoy outstanding views of the natural cirque of Mafate! Walkers then have two options: those wishing for a shorter walk can go back to the starting point the way they came (15 minutes approximately); those wishing to continue along the circuit can carry on towards the ridge, climbing up several secure metal ladders to reach the Roche Verre Bouteille, a vertical rock whose name means "Bottle Glass Rock", a reference to its bottle-like shape. An impressive trail where you can not only admire Mafate but also Dos d'Âne and the island's west coast…
The Maïdo belvedere
