I set off at dawn to reach the lava flow before the road closes—it’s open from 6:30 to 7:30 a.m. [1]. A cyclist had told me it was completely flat… but with my two heavy panniers, the 200-meter elevation gain over the dozen or so kilometers really takes its toll. I arrive just before the road closes. At the other end of the construction zone, I’ll have to push the barrier open to get through…
Excited, I try to record a video, but apparently I didn’t start it properly… no video !
I’ve been riding through these different lava flows for years—it’s impressive.
A serene waterscape at Anse des Cascades. A little further on, I chat with two tourists I’ve run into several times ; apparently, the sea was just as rough the day before as I’d seen it.
Also impressive is Notre Dame des Laves, the “miraculous” church where the 1977 lava flow penetrated only 3 meters into the building, with the lava flowing around it without destroying it.
Finally, after the Bassin Bleu—a stunning stretch of river water—in Sainte-Anne, I linger in front of the Sainte-Anne church. Damaged by the cyclone the previous year, it is not open to visitors. People talk about Gaudí’s influence… but I see more of a Tamil influence…
I finally arrive at my lodging, after getting lost because the GPS coordinates provided by the host were wrong…