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St-André & Around

Sights in St André & Around

  1. Sucrerie de Bois-Rouge

    The Sucrerie de Bois-Rouge is on the coast 3km north of St-André. During the cane harvest (July to December) visitors are shown around the huge, high-tech plant, following the process from the delivery of the cut cane to the final glittering crystals. The two-hour tour includes the neighbouring distillery, where the by-products (cane juice and molasses) are made into rum. From January to June, you can only visit the distillery. Children under seven years aren't allowed into the refinery. English-language tours are available. There's a shop, Tafia et Galabé, where you can sip (and buy) the good stuff.

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  2. Plantation de Vanille Roulof

    If you're after Réunion's Vanille Bourbon, head to Plantation de Vanille Roulof, a small family-run operation where you can buy vanilla pods at reasonable prices (€10 for 25g). You can also find out about the technique of 'marrying' the vanilla, a delicate operation in which the flowers are fertilised by hand.

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  3. Maison Martin Valliamé

    Worth a look is Maison Martin Valliamé, a handsome colonial villa dating from 1925, northeast of the centre. Guided tours in French (€3) are available from 10am to 4pm on the hour.

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