Mount Pelée by the Aileron

From the car park, go towards the antenna and follow the path up to the kiosk. In clear weather, you can use the orientation table which provides information on the surrounding sites and reliefs.

Continue by the small path which becomes more and more sloping and pass the series of steps then the boulders. At the foot of the Aileron Pass, the slope becomes even steeper. It is advisable to reduce the pace and remain careful in this delicate portion. After 40 minutes of climbing, it is the arrival at the Aileron pass (1). From here, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the bay of Saint-Pierre.

Continue to climb up to the top of the Aileron Dome (1107m) which will be reached after 1 hour of effort. Continue up to the Dufresnois Cross. From here, you are on the banks of the Caldeira (2); the track continues to the right on the platform of the palmists.

We are about 1h45 walk (3). Take to the left the path which goes down in the dry pond and goes up again up to the top of the 1902 dome (4). Continue up to the third refuge and take to the left the track which leads to Le Chinois (5).

Once on the ridge, follow the path that arrives on the wide smooth plates. Take the track which goes to the left and go down to the bottom of a narrow valley. You are on the 1929 dome: in front of you stands a boulder that you must climb to reach the Chinese.
The peak of the volcano is reached after 3 hours of walk. Return up to the third refuge then take on the left the descent in direction of Grande Savane.

At the crossing (6), turn to the right to take again the path which makes the turn of the Caldeira and go up again up to the second refuge which you will reach after 4h30 of walk. The return to the car park is by the same path used for the ascent.

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