Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Le Tévelave
POP 1500
Le Tévelave, about 10km up an impossibly twisty road in the hills above Les Avirons, is a
gem of a village. It offers a real taste of rural life and is a great base for walkers. You can
really feel a sense of wilderness and seclusion here, light years away from the bling and
bustle of the coast. At the top of the village is the starting point for the
Route Forestière des
Tamarins
. This road leads through a cryptomeria forest and emerges 36km later below Le
Maïdo. Picnic sites abound along the road.
Sleeping & Eating
L'Écorce Blanc
( 0692 02 16 30; 46 Rue Francis Rivière, Le Tévelave; d incl breakfast €50-70; )
Perched on the side
of a hill, way above town, this friendly
ferme auberge
(farm inn) is beloved by locals for
its authentic home cooking (meals €22, by reservation). Sadly, the indoor dining room is
about as atmospheric as a dentist's waiting room. There are also four rooms in the same
building as the dining room (noisy at meal times); they have been recently spruced up and
feature good bedding, flat screen TVs and sparkling bathrooms. Be warned, though: driv-
ing up the 600m-long access road to the farm inn calls for Schumacher-standard driving
skills.
B&B
€€
Domaine des Fougères
( 0262 38 32 96;
www.domainedesfougeres.com
;
53 Route des Merles, Le Tévelave; s €67, d €75-85, incl break-
fast; )
The panoramic views and the secluded location, right at the start of the forest
road, are the biggest perks to staying in this rural hotel with Creole architecture. Other-
wise, the atmosphere is a bit staid with functional rooms. The more expensive Prestige
rooms come with sea views and have been modernised. There's a on-site restaurant, which
specialises in hearty Creole fare.
INN
€€
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