Les Makes

Les Makes sits at around a thousand metres above Saint-Louis, a quiet village of small holdings in cryptomeria forest, and it is known for two things: the Fenêtre viewpoint above it, and its night sky. The astronomical observatory here runs public sessions, and its position, high, dry and away from coastal light, makes it one of the best places on the island for stargazing, with the southern constellations and the Magellanic Clouds visible.

Highlights

• The observatory - public astronomy sessions run from the village.
• The dark skies - the southern sky including the Magellanic Clouds.
• The cryptomeria forest - the plantation woodland surrounding the village.
• The Fenetre road - the route up to the Cilaos viewpoint above.

When to go

May to November is the dry season and the best for clear nights. Observatory sessions must be booked and run on set evenings. Nights at this altitude are cold.

Things to know

Observatory sessions are cancelled when it is cloudy, which is often. The village itself has few facilities. Nights are cold and visitors from the coast are frequently underdressed.

Nearby

La Fenetre des Makes is above, and Saint-Louis is on the coast.

Key facts