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Sacre Coeur des Colimacons is an interesting little church that sits on a hillside above the town of St. Leu. It was built in the 1860s by Antoine Sosthese de Chateauvieux, a Frenchman who founded a nearby estate that is now Reunion's national botanical garden.
If you are interested in guided tours in La Reunion or in any of their other dozens of destinations you can contact AlpinSchule Innsbruck GmbH at In der Stille 1, A-6161 Natters, Austria. Tel. 43 512 54 6000Fax. 43 512 54 6001 info@asi.net www.asi.at Even if you don't want to take their tours you can order their catalogue which is full of excellent itineraries for many exotic destinations. Our experience with them has been very positive. We would like to go hiking in Sicilia with them next.
If you want to try your luck with Jacques Kammerer he is the guide for Alpine Schule Innsbruck or ASI. Jacques guides in France, Reunion and also in Cyprus. His specialty is gourmet tours around Alsace Lorraine. He can be reached at Ferme Niedermatten, 67220 Breitenbach Elsass, France. His telephone number is +33 388 570 144 and his mobile number is +33 608 837 292.
So, if you think you might like to try a private guide then I can reccommend Alexa Lorenz. She lives in St. Gilles les Baines in La Reunion. She can be reached at 06 92 19 82 89 or her email address is alexa.lorenz@gmx.net. She offers mountain biking and hiking tours in English, German, Spanish and of course French. She can also arrange canyoning tours through her network of guide friends, too. She is good natured and thoroughly professional. Good luck and enjoy your hiking or biking experience in La Reunion.
Ten.I have tried to provide some general tips for hiking in La Reunion and what our experience was. I hope they have been helpful and not too tedious. They were written to be read together, so I hope I have not put you off. In any case, I hope they will help you regardless of where you are hiking. I think some of the advice and experience is universal and applies equally in the Alps or Rockies as on an island in the Indian Ocean. Thanks.
Here are Alexa Lorenz and our other guide Jacques KammererNine. I am not saying there is one way to hike. There are many individuals in a group. But, you have to find the group dynamic that works for the most people. Not too fast, not too slow, and always safe. That is also the advantage of an experienced guide who knows the terrain and who can estimate how far the next destination is. Sometimes they push the group if the weather looks like it is going to change. Sometimes they slow it down to give the stragglers time to catch their wind. Sometimes you have to stop to smell the flowers, and sometimes you have to get out of an avalanche area as quick as possible. That is worth the price of a guide in my opinion.
Here is our guide Alexa Lorenz who did a fantastic job. She does mountain biking and trekking tours in La Reunion as well as some canyoning.Eight. Also, as we had to carry our own food, this added extra weight that each person had to carry in addition to their own packs. It seemed that the same people were always carrying the largest bundles and the most weight. Fair enough, but then at least go at a decent pace. I sweat like a pig. When I am wet and when we take too many breaks, I immediately start to get cold. I prefer to take my breaks in the sun or take off my wet clothes and change into something dry. However, that only makes sense when you have reached your destination not during the day.
Seven. The age of the group was quite diverse. We ranged in age from mid to late 20s to mid to late 60s. The ability of the hiker was contingent on the experience of the hiker and not on their age. I was one of the best in terms of experience and fitness, but Alfred was always ahead of me or right behind me, and he is at least 60 years old. Some of the young girls with very little experience brought up the rear. Shamefully, one of the new guides who was there to learn, was one of the slowest. He needs to shed some unwanted pounds and learn to hike with experienced hikers. It may sound cruel, but in order to cover ground and get where you’re going, you need to go at a steady pace. Too slow and with too many breaks destroys the rhythm. And, with the danger of rain or getting caught on the mountain in a storm, I would sooner move quickly, get to my destination and then enjoy the view or a...
Six. Well, except for your hiking boots. They have to cope with all the changes. They should be Goretex and waterproof. I would not advise you to bring new boots. Better boots that you have worn before, that are broken in, and that you are sure are not going to give you blisters. As well, bring several pairs of socks so you can switch pairs if one gives you hot spots, and a set of Compeed bandages to put over any blisters that you may get after having the same boots on everyday. Don’t bring regular Bandaids. They are not as effective and they rub-off when they get moist and due to friction from the sock. Bring Compeeds. You apply them once, and then they stay on for several days. They will keep the wound from the blister clean and provide some cushion from chafing. Once you have used them you will understand why I insist on them. You do not want to under any circumstances hike 4-6 hours...
Five. The climate posed problems. In La Reunion there are four major climate zones. Volcanic, sub-tropical rain forest, mountainous, and dry and arid in addition to the beach. However, as it is also a small island with high mountains, you also have the sub-climate zones due to elevation and distance from water or the side of the mountain for example. I think there are 20 sub-climate zones in all. Plus, you start in the morning, hike through the heat of the midday, and then arrive at your destination in the late afternoon or evening. Therefore, you have to be prepared for constant changes in temperature from roasting under the noonday sun to pouring rain in the forest and everything in between. You need lots of layers to take on and leave off as the case may be.
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Reviews and photos of Reunion attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Reunion sightseeing.
Q: My best friend and I are planning a holiday from 1 to 9 of December, to escape somewhere warm, and one option we are weighing is...
A: Yes, from what I've read in books and cites heavy rains and cyclones are to be exppected from february onwards. December is the start of summer, hot. I and my girl are...
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