Les Hautes Plaines & the Volcano
You've reached the end of the world! The Plaine des Sables is a wide windswept plain, made of ashes. With its lunar landscape, it could form a perfect…
Must-see attractions in Réunion
Réunion
It would be a sin to visit Les Makes and not take the forest road that leads to this viewpoint, another 10km further uphill. The view over the entire…
Musée des Musiques et Instruments de l'Océan Indien
Réunion
A great surprise! In October 2015, the innovative Musée des Musiques et Instruments de l'Océan Indien welcomed its first visitors, showcasing hundreds of…
Réunion
Réunion's most beloved museum is dedicated primarily to the sugar industry, but also provides fascinating insights into the history of the island,…
Conseil Général de la Réunion – Direction de la Culture
Réunion
You can't miss this villa – it's one of the most elegant of St-Denis' Creole buildings, with a superb varangue (veranda), finely crafted lambrequins …
The East
This sugar refinery is on the coast 3km north of St-André. During the cane harvest (July to early December) visitors are shown around the huge, high-tech…
Réunion
Boucan Canot's main beach has been listed as one of Réunion's best, and once you get a glimpse of the gentle curve of the bright white sand, lined with…
Réunion
Plage des Roches Noires, in the heart of town, is crowded and neatly striped with sunbeds and parasols, but, beneath all this, it remains an attractive…
Réunion
In April 2007, in one of the most violent eruptions ever recorded, an impressive lava flow was formed, about 2km north of Pointe du Tremblet. The road was…
Les Hautes Plaines & the Volcano
From the viewpoint at Pas de Bellecombe (2311m), the 'entrance' to the volcanic area, you'll be rewarded with mesmerising views of the volcano and its…
Les Hautes Plaines & the Volcano
Everything you need to know about Piton de la Fournaise and volcanoes in general should become clear at the excellent Cité du Volcan. You can expect state…
The East
Temple of Colosse is, by far, the most striking Tamil temple in Réunion. With its brightly painted decor, it's very photogenic. Since it's not open to the…
Réunion
A narrow road follows the wide stony bed of the Rivière Langevin and leads to Cascade de la Grande Ravine, a majestic waterfall that drops into a broad…
Réunion
Lined with casuarina trees, Plage de L'Hermitage is an alluring place to fry in the sun. It is safe for swimming – it's protected by a barrier reef and is…
Les Hautes Plaines & the Volcano
About 22km from Bourg-Murat, there's a fabulous viewpoint at Pas des Sables (2360m), from where you can gaze at the barren moonscape that is the Plaine…
Réunion
This museum is set in the former home of the wealthy and very powerful Madame Panon-Desbassayns, a coffee and sugar baroness who, among other things,…
Réunion
Entirely modernised in 2014, the Maison de la Broderie is home to an association of 30 or so local women dedicated to keeping Cilaos' embroidery tradition…
The East
If you need to cool off, the Bassin Boeuf waterfall beckons with its enticing natural pools fringed with stone slabs, ideal for picnicking and sunbathing…
Bassin La Paix & Bassin La Mer
The East
A blissful site is Bassin La Paix, in the Rivière des Roches valley, about 2.5km west from Bras-Panon (it's signposted). From the car park, a path quickly…
The East
Very few visitors have heard about Îlet Bethléem, a magical spot by the Rivière des Marsouins that locals would like to keep for themselves. Reached after…
Réunion
Don't miss this ecologically conscious marine and research centre dedicated to sea turtles, about 2km north of St-Leu. It features exhibits, interactive…
The East
A fabulous place to chill out is this aptly named viewpoint, in upcountry Bras-Panon. From Bras-Panon, take the road to St-André, then turn left onto the…
The East
Around 12km southwest of St-Benoît along the road towards Plaine-des-Palmistes is the 3km road to Grand Étang (Big Pond). This pretty picnic spot lies at…
Le Jardin des Parfums et des Épices
Réunion
Inland between Le Baril and St-Philippe, don't miss the 3-hectare garden, Le Jardin des Parfums et des Épices. It contains over 1500 species in a natural…
Réunion
One of the loveliest of Hell-Bourg's Creole houses is this typical 19th-century bourgeois villa almost engulfed by its densely planted garden. You can…
The East
North of St-Benoît the D53 strikes southwest, following the Rivière des Marsouins 15km upstream to end beside the Takamaka viewpoint. Be prepared to fall…
Réunion
Those who want to understand how the ambrosia called rum starts in the sugar-cane fields and ends on their palates should come to this museum, set on the…
Conservatoire Botanique National de Mascarin
Réunion
Along the Route des Colimaçons, on the slopes north of St-Leu, this attractive garden is in the grounds of a 19th-century Creole mansion and contains an…
Réunion
In 1986 the lava unusually flowed south of Le Grand Brûlé to reach the sea at Pointe de la Table, a headland that lies a few hundred metres north of Puits…
Réunion
Beach lovers should stop at Plage de Grande Anse, which is framed with basaltic cliffs and features a white-sand beach, a protected tide pool and picnic…
The East
The lava flow from a 1977 eruption went through Piton Ste-Rose, split when it came to the church and reformed again on the other side. Many people see the…
Réunion
Housed in the former bishop's palace, built in 1845, this museum hosts Réunion's most important collection of modern art. The more high-profile works may…
Réunion
Appealing to a wider audience than just plant lovers and gardeners, Le Jardin d'Eden, across the main road from L'Hermitage, is definitely worth an hour…
Réunion
The little white chapel of Notre-Dame de la Salette, perched on the side of the hill to the east of town, was built in 1859 as a plea for protection…
Les Hautes Plaines & the Volcano
A lovely 1920s Creole building just south of the town centre, Domaine des Tourelles now houses a shop selling local produce and souvenirs. Outside you'll…
Réunion
Head to the Marvellous Rock for an eagle-eye panorama of Cilaos. It's accessible on foot or by road. From Cilaos, take the road to Bras-Sec. The turnoff…
Réunion
Not a fan of tan lines? Head due south and lay your towel on Plage de la Souris Chaude, which is a favourite among nudists (only just tolerated) and gay…
Réunion
Most tourists who come to St-Paul visit the bright and well-kept Cimetière Marin, the cemetery at the southern end of town. It contains the remains of…
Réunion
Caffeine addicts should make a beeline for La Maison de Laurina, the owner of which grows a top-quality variety of coffee, the Bourbon Pointu. The…
Réunion
At the entrance of Grand Coude, Le Labyrinthe En Champ Thé is worth an hour or so for anyone interested in tropical flora, with an emphasis on tea and…
