Anou al Moris
FR
La Tourelle du Tamarin
Photo:Diego Delso / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

🥾 Hikes · Tamarin

La Tourelle du Tamarin

The mountain right behind the villa: a short, steep climb to a rocky summit with a bird's-eye view of Tamarin Bay, the salt pans and Le Morne.

🚗 From the villa15 min · 4.8 kmoff-peak estimate
⏱️ Time needed2–3 hnot counting the drive
🕓 Best time of day🌅 Sunrise · ☀️ Morning
💰 PriceRs 0–1,500 (CHF 0–26)Free; a local guide (≈ Rs 1,000–1,500 per person) helps find the unmarked start.
🥾 Trail2.3 km · +410 mHard · out and back · guide recommended

La Tourelle du Tamarin is the sharp peak you see from the villa. A trail climbs steeply from the Tamarin side through dry forest and grass to a rocky top overlooking the whole bay, the Tamarin salt pans, Black River and Le Morne Brabant.

It's short (2–3 hours return) but steep and exposed to the sun: a perfect sunrise hike without driving far.

  • Closest summit to the villa
  • Views over Tamarin Bay and Le Morne

Trail map

Steep, sometimes loose trail with no signs. Go with someone who knows it the first time.

Trail (hard)
100 m300 m500 m 0 km0.5 km1 km 538 m
One way; you come back the same way. Elevation from SRTM satellite data (±10 m).

Trail traced on OpenStreetMap paths: check the signs on the ground, and take the OSM or an offline map app (Organic Maps, maps.me) with you.

What to expect on this hike

MudLow
ShadeLow
Exposure / vertigoMedium
WaymarkingNone
ViewpointsAlong & at the end
RopesNone
🚧 Obstacles2 to know
🌅 Best lightSunrise
📍 Where it starts
In the residential streets of Tamarin, at the foot of the mountain behind the villa: the path ('Tamarin mountain trail') starts at the end of a residential road. It isn't signposted; a local guide or a GPS track helps.
🧭 The route
A steady, steep climb up a dry grassy and rocky slope with scattered shrubs, gaining about 400 m in 1–1.5 hours, to a rocky summit ridge overlooking Tamarin Bay, the salt pans, La Preneuse and Le Morne. Back the same way (careful on the loose gravel going down).
🪨 Terrain
Dry, loose gravel and rock; slippery going down.
👁️ Views
The view opens up after 15 minutes and gets better all the way; the top has a 180° panorama over the bay and Le Morne.
🌅 Best light
Before sunrise: no shade at all, and the bay below glows at dawn.
🚧 Obstacles
  • Loose gravel on the way down
  • Private land at the start: stay on the path
🔁 Loop?
No loop.
🦟 Insects
Flies on hot days; no mosquitoes.
💧 Water
No water and no shade at all: 2 litres each.
👥 Crowds
Very quiet: mostly locals at sunrise.
📶 Phone signal
Good coverage.
🎒 Bring
Shoes with grip (trail runners or boots) · 1.5–2 litres of water each · Hat, sunscreen, sunglasses · Snack · Gloves are useful on the loose rocks
  1. Start in Tamarin
  2. Summit ridge

Getting there

Driving route from the villa

🚗 By car: 15 min (4.8 km) off-peak. Park in the Tamarin residential area near the trailhead (respect residents). Directions in Google Maps ↗

  • 🚲 Bike: close enough to cycle along the coast road (take care with traffic).

Tips

  • 💡 There's no shade: start before sunrise and bring plenty of water.
  • 💡 Parts of the approach cross private land; stay on the path.