La Cite du Volcan
A volcano museum on the Plaine des Cafres, covering Piton de la Fournaise and volcanism worldwide.
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La Cité du Volcan at Bourg-Murat sits on the road up to Piton de la Fournaise and exists to explain what visitors are about to look at: how the island was built by a hotspot, how the Fournaise erupts, what the lava flows do and how they are monitored. It was rebuilt and reopened in 2014 with immersive displays, a simulator and a 3D film, alongside rock samples and the instrument record of past eruptions.
What you actually see
- The eruption displays - how Piton de la Fournaise works and how it is monitored.
- The hotspot story - the formation of the island and the Mascarene chain.
- The simulator and films - immersive presentations of eruption and lava flow.
- The rock collection - samples from the volcano and from elsewhere in the world.
When to go
Year round; it is indoors and suits a day when the volcano is in cloud. It closes on Mondays. School holidays are busiest.
Honest expectations
It is heavily aimed at families and the presentation is more spectacle than detail. It closes on Mondays, which catches people out. The entry price is high for the content.
Nearby
Piton de la Fournaise is east, and Le Tampon is west.
What to pack for La Cite du Volcan
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.
