Trou aux Cerfs

Trou aux Cerfs is a volcanic crater about 350 metres across and some 80 metres deep sitting inside the town of Curepipe on the central plateau, its bowl filled with trees and a small pond at the bottom, dormant for thousands of years. A paved road and footpath run around the rim, used by joggers and walkers in the early morning and evening, and from the northern side the view extends across the plateau to the Moka range, Trois Mamelles and the Rempart mountain, with Port Louis visible on very clear days. A seismic monitoring station sits on the rim. It is a straightforward stop rather than a destination, five minutes from the centre of a town best known for its rain.

What you actually see

• The crater bowl - the forested depression and the pond at its base.
• The rim circuit - the paved road and path around the edge.
• Plateau views - the Moka range and Trois Mamelles from the north side.
• The monitoring station - the seismic post on the rim.

When to go

May to December for the best chance of clear air; Curepipe is the wettest and cloudiest part of the island and views are often lost. Early morning is clearest and coolest.

Honest expectations

Cloud and drizzle are frequent, and the view that makes the stop worthwhile is often absent. The crater floor is not accessible. The site takes half an hour and is essentially a viewpoint. Curepipe itself is a working town rather than a resort.

Nearby

Curepipe town centre is beside it; Grand Bassin lies south.