Plaine des Cafres



The Plaine des Cafres is a plateau on Réunion Island, one of the French volcanic islands in the Mascarene Archipelago in the southwestern Indian Ocean. It is part of the commune of Le Tampon.

It is named after the Cafres, black slaves who hid in the area during and before the 18th century.

Geography
Located between the two mountain ranges of Piton des Neiges and Piton de la Fournaise, the Plaine des Cafres is separated from the commune of La Plaine-des-Palmistes by the col de Bellevue, a mountain pass culminating at 1630 m. The RF5 road leading to the Piton de la Fournaise volcano starts from the Plaine des Cafres.

Economy
Due to abundant flat lands covered with meadows, bovine farming is well developed (most cattle grown on the island are at the Plaine des Cafres). The many cow pastures give the area an Alpine character.

Infrastructures
Since 1979, the Plaine des Cafres hosts the Piton de la Fournaise Volcano Observatory, and there is one collège.