Bassin Blanc

Bassin Blanc is a crater lake in the wooded hills of the south, sitting in a bowl of dense vegetation with steep sides falling to green water, and it is the quieter counterpart to Grand Bassin a few kilometres away: there are no temples, no processions and usually nobody there. A viewpoint above the rim gives the standard photograph looking down into the crater, and a rough path descends to the water's edge through forest that includes some native species along with introduced privet and guava. A small Hindu shrine stands near the rim. Access is by an unsurfaced track off the Chamouny road, and signage is minimal enough that many visitors miss the turn.

What you actually see

• The crater lake - green water held in a steep forested bowl.
• The rim viewpoint - the overlook above the northern edge.
• The descent path - the rough route down to the shoreline.
• Forest cover - the dense vegetation filling the crater sides.

When to go

May to December for firmer tracks; the summer wet season makes the approach road difficult and the descent slippery. Mornings are clearest, before cloud settles on the southern hills.

Honest expectations

The access track is rough and can require a high-clearance vehicle or a walk in. Signage is poor. The descent to the water is steep, muddy and unmaintained. Mosquitoes are persistent near the lake.

Nearby

Grand Bassin lies northeast; Chamarel is west.