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Mafate · Îlet des Orangers
Chez le Facteur de Mafate, Îlet des Orangers: sleeping at the home of one of the few postmen who deliver on foot
A unique experience at the heart of Mafate: spending a night at the home of the Îlet des Orangers postman, one of the few postal workers in France who covers dozens of kilometres on foot every day on high-altitude trails to deliver the mail. Half-board from €45.
Îlet des Orangers, MafatelocationFrom €45 (half-board)rate7.3/10 (13 reviews)booking rating4 hours from Sans-Souciaccess
The gîte Chez le Facteur de Mafate at Îlet des Orangers is one of the most singular addresses on the island. The postman, one of the few postal workers in France who delivers mail exclusively on foot on high-altitude trails, opens his home to hikers passing through. Expect a rare human encounter, wood-fired cooking and the unique atmosphere of an îlet (a small mountain hamlet) untouched by mass tourism.
This page covers: rates (from €45 half-board), access from Sans-Souci via the Canalisation des Orangers (4 hours), facilities (dorms, double rooms, a covered veranda, 2 showers, 2 toilets), wood-fired meals and ideas for planning your crossing.
At a glance
The gîte essentials
The experience
A night at the postman's home
Arriving at Îlet des Orangers. The îlet is one of the most discreet in the cirque, away from the busy trekking routes (Aurère, La Nouvelle). You get there after about 4 hours of walking from Sans-Souci, following the Canalisation des Orangers uphill. The calm here is absolute and visitor numbers stay low.
The accommodation. Several dorms or double rooms depending on who you're travelling with. Basic but clean. Facilities: 2 showers, 2 toilets, a water point. The covered veranda hosts meals and shared evenings.
Meeting the postman. This is the number-one draw. A warm host, he happily shares the day-to-day of this rare trade: the trails walked every day whatever the weather, parcels carried up on his back, the bonds built with every family in Mafate. A perspective on life in the cirque that few places to stay can offer.
Half-board. The €45 half-boardpackage includes the night, a Creole dinner cooked over a wood fire, and a hearty breakfast. It's the recommended option, and by far the best value.
How to get there
How to reach Îlet des Orangers
Îlet des Orangers is only accessible on foot. The most direct access is from Sans-Souci (in the hills above Saint-Paul), following the Canalisation des Orangers uphill. Allow about 4 hours of steady walking, a marked trail that requires decent fitness.
You can also walk in from other îlets inside the cirque (Roche Plate, La Nouvelle) on Mafate's trails. There is no road access. Fill up with fuel and do your shopping down in Saint-Paul before heading up.
On site
Services and facilities at the gîte
- Several dorms or double rooms
- Half-board: a night plus dinner plus a hearty breakfast
- Creole cooking over a wood fire
- A covered veranda for meals and evenings
- 2 showers
- 2 toilets
- A water point for washing up and washing
- Trail advice from the postman (he knows every inch of Mafate on foot)
- A panoramic viewpoint from the gîte
Rates
How much does a night cost
From €45 half-board, according to Booking reviews. The package includes the night, dinner and breakfast. It's the option to go for, with the wood-fired cooking and the encounter with the postman forming an integral part of the experience.
Booking ahead is recommended, as capacity is limited and the îlet doesn't receive as many visitors as Aurère or La Nouvelle. Confirm current rates when booking. No card payments, bring cash.
Contact & booking
Booking Chez le Facteur
Address: Îlet des Orangers, Mafate cirque
Booking is available on Booking.com, where the gîte shows 7.3/10 from 13 reviews. Plan several weeks ahead in high season (June to October); Îlet des Orangers stays discreet, so it's less crowded than other îlets.
Combine it with
Activities to combine with the stay
Îlet des Orangers is away from Mafate's major touristy routes. Make the most of your stopover to explore the internal trails.
Guided Trek in Mafate
A multi-day crossing of the cirque, with the option of including Les Orangers as a stopover.
See the activity
Bélouve and Trou de Fer
A guided trail to the island's tallest waterfall.
See the activity
Helicopter Flight Over Mafate
A panoramic flight over the cirque, a natural complement to the trek.
See the activity
Also worth combiningAerial view
Reunion Island seen from the sky
The gîte gives you Mafate at ground level, along its remotest trails. A helicopter opens up the perspective: peaks, cirques, lava flows and lagoon seen in just a few minutes.
8 routes departing from Saint-Pierre or Saint-Paul, from 15 minutes to 1 hour.
From €125 · 210 Manawa reviews · Saint-Pierre / Saint-Paul
See helicopter prices
See also
Other gîtes in Mafate
Stay nearby
Alternative accommodation nearby
To compare, or if the gîte is full, here are partner places to stay within 25 km.
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hotel13 kmFrequently asked questions
FAQ: everything to know before booking
How do you book Chez le Facteur?
Booking is available on Booking.com (7.3/10 from 13 reviews). Plan several weeks ahead in high season; capacity is limited.
How much does a night cost?
From €45 half-board (a night plus dinner plus breakfast). It's the recommended option, and by far the best value.
Who is the Mafate postman?
He's one of the few postal workers in France who covers dozens of kilometres on foot every day on high-altitude trails to deliver mail in the cirque, which has no road access. This unusual trade has made him well known, and he welcomes hikers into his gîte with the same warmth.
How do you get to Îlet des Orangers?
On foot only. The most direct access is from Sans-Souci (in the hills above Saint-Paul), following the Canalisation des Orangers uphill. Allow 4 hours of steady walking. Other options exist from Roche Plate or La Nouvelle within the cirque.
What makes this gîte unique?
The human experience. You're not staying in a commercial gîte, you're welcomed into the home of someone who has lived Mafate from the inside for decades, who knows every family in the cirque and every trail by heart.
When's the best time to come?
The austral winter (May to October) offers the most stable conditions. The cyclone season (January to March) heavily affects the access trails, so it's best avoided.
Page updated on 20 September 2026. GPS coordinates, contact details and rates verified as of this date. Confirm availability with the gîte before travelling.
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Chez le Facteur, Mafate
RateFrom €45/night