Grand Etang
The largest natural lake on the island, in a valley below a high waterfall, reached by an easy walk.
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Grand Étang is the largest natural body of standing water on Réunion, formed when a landslide dammed a valley, and it sits in a bowl of green walls below the Bras d'Annette waterfall, which drops several hundred metres down the rock face at the head of the valley. A flat walk of about forty-five minutes from the car park reaches the lake, and a circuit continues around it and up towards the base of the fall.
What you actually see
- The lake - the largest natural standing water on the island.
- The Bras d'Annette waterfall - a fall of several hundred metres at the valley head.
- The circuit walk - the route around the lake and towards the fall.
- The valley walls - the vegetated cliffs enclosing the basin.
When to go
May to November is the drier season. The waterfall is strongest after rain. The lake level varies greatly and it can shrink considerably in dry spells.
Honest expectations
The lake dries back substantially in dry years and can look poor. The circuit is muddy and involves river crossings that are dangerous after rain. Swimming is not permitted.
Nearby
Plaine des Palmistes is southwest, and Saint-Benoit is northeast.
What to pack for Grand Etang
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
