Réunion

Capital:
St Denis

Currency
Euro

Best time to visit:
from may to june

In a word:
Bonjour (hello)

Vaccines
None

Essential experiences:
Climb the dangerous active volcano of Piton de la Fournaise; Go shopping in the very French St Denis; Reach the Cormorans Waterfall 

 

In the realm of the Piton de la Fournaise

A tropical island full of picturesque natural settings, including volcanoes, beaches and green valleys; but also a wonderful encounter between two cultures: the Creole one and the French one. Let's discover the treasures of Réunion, a small jewel of the Mascarene Islands.

We reach, by sea, the island of Réunion (or Reunion), a splendid pearl of the Indian Ocean, DOM namely: Department of the French Republic, which is part of the Mascarene Islands of which everyone remembers only Mauritius. It contains numerous natural treasures, all to be discovered and conquered!

Reunion, totally different from the well-known Mauritius, is the ideal destination for those who want to take a vacation full of movement, open air and nature. In addition to a dream sea, even if shark-infested, it is strongly advised not to bathe due to the many shark attacks and the spectacular expanses of sand, in fact, the island has an interesting variety of landscapes of which they are protagonists, for example , its volcanoes, one extinct that exceeds 3000 meters high (Piton des Neiges) and another active volcano in good shape (Piton de la Fournaise).  

Therefore, the island not only offers beach life and seabeds to explore, among the alternatives there are also spectacular trekking and canyoning routes. The only period indicated for trekking in the mountains of Réunion is the dry season, which runs from April to September.

Les Cormorans (Le Réunion)

Today, with a local bus, we begin to explore this piece of tropical France. Not far from our docking port is the characteristic Les Cormorans waterfall! Very picturesque and reachable after a nice walk in nature! Great excursion for those traveling with small children!

St Denis (Le Réunion)

The languages spoken in Réunion are French and Creole, the legacy of two cultures that coexist in a curious and colorful melting pot.
The cities of the island testify to this electrifying cultural mixture. In fact, in the picturesque St-Denis, for example, we find the serene atmosphere of the very relaxing botanical gardens and sumptuous Creole residences that alternate with huts and gazebos adorned with tropical flowers.  

St. Denis, the capital of Réunion, is a fascinating, lively and particularly expensive city.
The most elegant area of St-Denis is Le Barachois, at the eastern end of the promenade, where there are exclusive bars, outdoor cafés and the Hôtel le Saint-Denis, one of the most luxurious hotels.

The main attractions are the Catholic Cathedral of San Dionigi, built in the nineteenth century and classified as a historical monument of France, and the Noor-e-Islam mosque which, having been built in 1905, represents the oldest French mosque.

In Réunion, for sure, you do not renounce luxury, in fact the quality of life does not differ much from that of continental France. Unfortunately, however, this means that the prices are quite high.

Do not miss the well-kept botanical gardens (Jardin de l'Etat) and the sumptuous Creole residences, which you can discover by walking around the city and the main craft market: the Grand Marché, where the most varied articles are sold, including including Malagasy wooden objects, spices, baskets and furniture.

La Réunion is a mountainous island of volcanic origin and the Piton des Neiges is its highest peak exceeding 3,000 meters of altitude. The mountains in the center of the island serve an important protective barrier function from the trade winds. The west coast is protected from the winds that blow from east to west and for this reason it is also called Costa Sotto Vento; in this part of the island there are the main seaside resorts of La Réunion.

The Piton des Neiges is an extinct volcano loved by climbers due to the presence of a cliff.  

A must-see place during a trip to La Réunion is the active volcano Piton de la Fournaise. The ideal appointment would be when it erupts lava and creates red-hot spurts from its height of 2,632 m, which happens several times a year. But even without an eruption, the walk to the viewing point is worthwhile for its view of the caldera's lunar desert.

4 Responses

  1. Fantastico. Vi chiedo da quale porto siete partiti per andare alle Reunion!? Avevamo mezza idea di visitare quest’isola quando nel 1990 ci trovavamo in Madagascar.
    E’ stato impossibile, non siamo riusciti a trovare nessuna imbarcazione.
    Thanks

    1. Ciao mitico guru Nuccio, grazie per il tuo commento, non oso immaginare cosa fosse il Madagascar del 1990… chissa’ che avventure… noi stavolta, abbiamo raggiunto l’isola de Reunion dal porto di Tamatave in due giorni di navigazione.

  2. C’est le plein été en ce moment à la Réunion…
    Côté surf, il y a d’autres endroits !!!
    La plus belle vague étant soit à Hawaï soit à Tahiti à Teahupoo …
    Cette vague à été choisi pour les Jeux Olympiques de 2024 mais manque encore l’accord du Comité olympique international…
    La Réunion est un paradis pour les randonneurs plutôt en saison fraîche…
    La diagonale du fou est un trail fantastique…
    La Nouvelle Calédonie est 7 fois plus grande que la Réunion avec 3 fois moins d’habitants. 271 500 seulement

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