Caving and lava tunnels

Discover the "Tunel gendarme" with Spéléolave

Meeting point

Coulée de Lave 2007
RN2
97442 Saint-Philippe
Réunion

©Le Bon Zest – OFB_2023

Réunion Island National Park

Discover the "Tunel gendarme" with Spéléolave

1 half day

Easy

Do you know the Gendarme Tunnel? Less well known than its neighbors, the Gendarme Tunnel is a little marvel that Teddy, a Spéléo'lave guide, invites you to discover in a small group.

The Spéléo'lave outings begin with an approach walk along the St Philippe coast: on this wild coast, where lava flows have been superimposed for millennia, Teddy talks to us about the diversity of Reunion's landscapes and its unique biodiversity.

Equipped with helmets and lamps, visitors then descend into the depths of the earth and explore the underground galleries of the lava tunnel. Under the subdued lighting, smooth, undulating walls give way to blocks of rough gravel, revealing the tunnel's silent history. Teddy takes advantage of these atypical settings to tell little anecdotes and remind us of the importance of preserving this fragile environment.

Throughout his outings, he distills his awareness-raising messages and invites his groups to adopt simple gestures to protect our shared heritage: avoid eating in the tunnel to limit the proliferation of rats, don't touch the rock faces to avoid the appearance of fungi. A responsible approach that helps preserve our exceptional heritage.

Prices

Contact Teddy Avril of Spéléolave directly for prices and days of outings (opposite)

À la rencontre de...

In Saint-Philippe, Teddy takes you beneath recent volcanic flows for a unique immersion in lava tunnels. Between family outings and sporty crossings, he introduces visitors to a spectacular underground world, while raising awareness of the fragility of this exceptional environment.

A friendly, intimate and committed experience in the colors ofEsprit parc national.

Nature offers us things, then destroys them, then offers us others... Everything on this site is ephemeral.
The landscape around us is incredible, because we're on a lava flow that's 20 years old. That means we're caving in a cave that's generally younger than most of the participants.
I propose two types of tour on the 2004 lava tunnel. It's over 6 km long, so there's a lot of potential for exploration. I have a more family-friendly, leisurely outing, which I call the Discovery Exploration. And I have a sporty outing, a major traverse of over 2 km in the lava tunnel, where you spend 3 hours underneath at a slightly more sustained pace.
We take the time to explain to people how fragile the environment is, and what they should or shouldn't do to keep it as intact as possible.
I decided to apply for the Esprit Parc Nationallabel when Reunion was classified as a National Park. It's something I'm proud of, and I wanted to get involved because it speaks to me. What I like to pass on to people is respect for the environment, for nature... I also like working in small groups to create a more intimate, convivial experience, in line with the values ofEsprit parc national.