The old station
An orange-roofed building at the avenue's end.
Torbenbrinker — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Torbenbrinker — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Torbenbrinker — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Torbenbrinker — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Smiley.toerist — CC BY-SA 3.0
The Grand Avenue is the heart of Antsirabe, Madagascar's third-largest city. A broad street with gardens down the middle, it links the old railway station with the district of hotels and hot springs, blending colonial-era buildings with the colourful pousse-pousses the city is known for. The name Antsirabe means the place of much salt, and the city is nicknamed the city of water or the Malagasy Vichy for its many thermal springs. The Norwegian missionary T.G. Rosaas founded it in 1872 as a hill station retreat, thanks to its cooler climate. The thermal baths opened in 1917, and under French rule the centre of the Vakinankaratra region moved here. It now attracts around 30,000 tourists a year. You walk among trees and tidy gardens past the old Ville d'Eaux station with its orange roof, houses with wooden balconies and sloping roofs, and the Hôtel des Thermes with its red columns. Pousse-pousses pulled by men cross the road, shops display rock crystal, and the market is piled with fruit. The city lies about 121.4 km from Antananarivo and 12.6 km from Lake Tritriva in a straight line, on the national road south. It is cooler than you might expect, so bring a jacket. Agree a fare before boarding a pousse-pousse, avoid walking alone at night and watch your bag in the market.
An orange-roofed building at the avenue's end.
Colourful carts pulled by men.
An old building with red columns.
Central Antsirabe, Vakinankaratra Region, Madagascar
For the many thermal springs nearby, with baths opened in 1917.
Generally yes, and agree the fare before setting off.