Le Dimitile

The Dimitile is a ridge at around fifteen hundred metres on the southern rim of the Cirque de Cilaos, reached by a long climb on foot from Entre-Deux or by a rough four-wheel drive track. The name comes from a maroon leader, and the ridge was one of the refuges of escaped slaves in the eighteenth century; a memorial and an open-air museum on the site record that history. From the top the cirque opens up with Piton des Neiges behind.

What you actually see

• The cirque view - the Cirque de Cilaos and Piton des Neiges from the ridge.
• The maroon memorial - the monument and museum to the escaped slaves who sheltered here.
• The climb - several hours on foot from Entre-Deux through changing forest.
• The ridge gites - the refuges allowing an overnight and a dawn view.

When to go

May to November is the dry season. The view is clear only early in the morning, so staying overnight at a gite is the usual approach. Nights are cold.

Honest expectations

The climb is long, several hours with substantial ascent, and the four-wheel drive track is rough and needs a proper vehicle. Cloud closes the view by mid-morning most days. Gites must be booked.

Nearby

Entre-Deux is below, and Cirque de Cilaos is beyond the ridge.