Rising over 1 600m at the pass separating it from the Plaine des Palmistes, the Plaine des Cafres plateau is covered with pastures, moors dotted with heather, gorse and St. John's Wort, where a thick layer of fog breaks up in winter. Although at the gateway to the volcano here, temperatures sometimes go below zero at night; but the first rays of sunlight soon melt the morning frost.