Notre-Dame-des-Laves
A church at Sainte-Rose that a 1977 lava flow surrounded and stopped at, leaving the building untouched.
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In April 1977 an eruption on the northeastern flank of Piton de la Fournaise sent lava through the village of Piton Sainte-Rose, and the flow came up to the church of Notre-Dame-des-Laves, split around it, entered the porch and stopped. The building was untouched apart from that intrusion. The lava remains where it halted at the doorway, and the church is now covered inside with stained glass and paintings made after the event.
What you actually see
- The lava at the door - the flow stopped in the porch where it halted in 1977.
- The surrounded church - a building the flow split around and left standing.
- The stained glass - windows made after the eruption in response to it.
- The village setting - the settlement rebuilt around the flow.
When to go
Year round; the church is open in daylight hours. It closes during services. Mornings are quietest.
Honest expectations
It is a single small church and the visit takes twenty minutes. Coach groups arrive in batches. There is little interpretation beyond a plaque.
Nearby
Route des Laves is south, and Anse des Cascades is beyond it.
What to pack for Notre-Dame-des-Laves
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.
