Mt. Vitet Adventure

[DaveM]

Vicki and I were delighted to be able to find our way to the top of Mt Vitet recently . . . it was a longtime curiosity and we were well rewarded with lucky weather and spectacular views!

It’s not an easy trail, but doable for the determined! Took about an hour and a half overall.

 

[cassidain]

WOW !!!

 

[cassidain]

From which side did you begin the trek ? Toiny ?

 

[DaveM]

From which side did you begin the trek ? Toiny ?

The trail begins on the uphill side of the road leading away from camaruche. Coming out of lorient at the top of the hill you turn right then keep going for a while in the direction of toiny/petit cul de sac.

 

[cassidain]

not sure I follow.
are you referring to the route de Vitet towards the route de Dévé ?

 

[DaveM]

The taxi dropped us off at the green circle and picked us up at the red circle. There is no parking. But now that we did the whole loop I would just go up and then back down the same first half of the loop. The views on the second half are not worth the bushwhacking and with no colored dots to indicate the trail, it is much more difficult route finding. There were easy red dots going up that can be followed right back down the same route back to the green circle.

 

[cassidain]

Did you have a guide? We have stayed in Vitet for many years and have tried to spot anything resembling a trailhead but have never seen such. Plus, I believe all that is private property ???

 

[DaveM]

If you drive to the green circle you will see that the road ends and a path begins. I used the hiking application called All Trails. It shows the first part of the trail, and from this you can begin spotting the red marker dots. Yes, we saw an old private property sign, and were prepared to accept a measure of justice if necessary. The sign was deep in the woods. It never felt like we were walking across anyone’s home.

 

[cec1]

I've previously written this story, so apologies to anyone who's asking, "Haven't I read this before?"

My experience in climbing to the top of Mt. Vitet was in the mid-80s, as I came to know Hubert de la Motte (now shortened to Delamotte) while frequently dining in the charming, rustic dining room of his Hostellerie des Trois Forces . . . located approximately where Vitet turns into Devet. When closed on a Sunday afternoon, Hubert invited me to join him with one of his young sons, Apollon, and the then-Director of the SBH Bureau of Tourism, Elise Magras, to climb Mt. Vitet. As I recall, we briefly drove into Devet and turned right onto a short "stub road," where we parked at its dead end . . . and started our hike.

In the beginning, there clearly was a trail . . . which, intermittently, disappeared at times into dense brush and foliage (much of it very pretty . . . such as wild orchids in bloom). The hike was made easier as Apollon -- probably about 5 years old -- playfully and charmingly, as children can be, ran ahead, circling back to guide us along the trail as he tracked it.

Unfortunately, I was -- characteristically to this day -- dressed in shorts, which meant that branches and other vegetation left a lot of scratches on my legs. In 3+ hours, I also presented a fertile feeding ground for mosquitoes. Nonetheless, the view at top was exciting and quite memorable . . . as I made lifelong friends in the adventure. (About a month ago, e.g., when in Marché U, a quiet voice asked, "Mr. Carlton?" -- it was Apollon, now all grown-up & a professional chef on the island -- https://www.lofficielstbarth.com/food/food-is-love. He's still as winsome and endearing as he was at five years!)

 

[NancySC]

I've previously written this story, so apologies to anyone who's asking, "Haven't I read this before?"

My experience in climbing to the top of Mt. Vitet was in the mid-80s, as I came to know Hubert de la Motte (now shortened to Delamotte) while frequently dining in the charming, rustic dining room of his Hostellerie des Trois Forces . . . located approximately where Vitet turns into Devet. When closed on a Sunday afternoon, Hubert invited me to join him with one of his young sons, Apollon, and the then-Director of the SBH Bureau of Tourism, Elise Magras, to climb Mt. Vitet. As I recall, we briefly drove into Devet and turned right onto a short "stub road," where we parked at its dead end . . . and started our hike.

In the beginning, there clearly was a trail . . . which, intermittently, disappeared at times into dense brush and foliage (much of it very pretty . . . such as wild orchids in bloom). The hike was made easier as Apollon -- probably about 5 years old -- playfully and charmingly, as children can be, ran ahead, circling back to guide us along the trail as he tracked it.

Unfortunately, I was -- characteristically to this day -- dressed in shorts, which meant that branches and other vegetation left a lot of scratches on my legs. In 3+ hours, I also presented a fertile feeding ground for mosquitoes. Nonetheless, the view at top was exciting and quite memorable . . . as I made lifelong friends in the adventure. (About a month ago, e.g., when in Marché U, a quiet voice asked, "Mr. Carlton?" -- it was Apollon, now all grown-up & a professional chef on the island -- https://www.lofficielstbarth.com/food/food-is-love. He's still as winsome and endearing as he was at five years!)

Grown up & quite handsome too ! loved your story Dennis!

 

[cec1]

Grown up & quite handsome too ! loved your story Dennis!

Merci, Nancy!