Breaking waves
Smashing on the lava.
Froscha — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Elodie Milleret — CC BY-SA 4.0 · VillageHero from Ulm, Germany — CC BY-SA 2.0 · VillageHero from Ulm, Germany — CC BY-SA 2.0 · VillageHero from Ulm, Germany — CC BY-SA 2.0
Cap Méchant is a rocky cape on the south-east coast of Réunion in the commune of Saint-Philippe, about 24 km in a straight line east of Saint-Pierre. It sits on a jagged coastline battered by ocean swell and is one of the landmarks of the area islanders call the «Sud Sauvage», the wild south. The cape is made of black lava cliffs where the waves smash and throw spray high into the air, topped by local screw pines and coastal shrubs over a carpet of short green grass. Below it lies an old well about 10 m deep, the Puits des Français, which visitors are not allowed to enter. Local stories say this coast was long a hideout for pirates who hid their loot in rum barrels, which is said to explain the name of the nearby village of Le Baril. A picnic area shelters under the trees, and a path runs along the edge with views over the sea. The visit is free. Keep well back from the cliff edge when the swell is up, as swimming here is dangerous; it is best at sunset, or on a big-wave day watched from a safe distance.
Smashing on the lava.
A jagged coast.
Sea views.
Saint-Philippe, Réunion
No, the coast is rocky and the waves are dangerous.
No, entry is not allowed.