Things to see and do Saint-Denis

On the bed of the St. Suzanne River, there is still a basin accessible from the village of Bagatelle, located between the Nicole Basin and Niagara Falls. It is fed by a small waterfall from the Sèche ravine. On the left bank side, you will be able to reach another small waterfall above it in a few minutes of walk. A toboggan evacuates the water from the bassin Rond, which gives the opportunity for a very pleasant stop during the hike coming from the Abondance. At the football pitch, take the direction of La Grande-Ravine.

More difficult to access than the Marie-Louise basin, the path leading to Z'Lightning is very poorly maintained. Perhaps it is to discourage the most daring, because bathing is also prohibited here.

On the dry Ravine, the beautiful Marie-Louise basin is unfortunately forbidden for bathing. Even the trail to access it is fallow!

This Tamil temple dedicated to the goddess Mariammen cannot be visited (except for exceptional events), but it can be admired from the outside. It is the first to be built in Sainte-Marie. A few planks in the courtyard of the factory then allow Tamils to meditate. Although it has been moved several times, it is still standing and still active. Located in La Mare, it is one of the most beautiful of the island. It also honours Ganesh, the god with the elephant head, and Alvan, the fire keeper. The fire march takes place on January 3rd of each year.

With over thirty-five years' experience, Helilagon is Réunion's historic airline. Over the years, it has established itself as a key player in Reunion's economic and tourist landscape, operating in three business sectors: tourist flights, aerial work and medical transport. Its priority: to make your flight a unique and safe experience, by offering you the most beautiful views of the Reunion landscape. Sightseeing tours, heli-excursions by the day (heli-cari, heli-rando, heli-resto, heli-4 x 4, heli-golf), airport transfer flights, private flights on request. Authentic and dazzling, the panoramic flight over the island, commented by the pilot in French/English, offers a unique and incomparable interlude. Discovering Réunion's emblematic natural sites from the air is guaranteed to be an unforgettable experience. To ensure that customers have a clear view of the sites overflown, the company carries out a weather check 15 minutes before the departure of each flight, and offers great flexibility with the possibility of postponement in the event of unfavorable conditions. Helilagon has the largest fleet on the island, and is the only company to operate from three bases (north, west and south). Its main base is located on a unique 4-hectare site in the middle of the savannah at L'Éperon, overlooking the bay of Saint-Paul, and its two secondary bases are at the airports of Saint-Denis and Saint-Pierre. Free shuttle service in the west.

The Noor-e-Islam mosque is the main mosque of the capital of Reunion Island, to be discovered during a stroll along the pedestrian and shopping street Maréchal Leclerc. This large mosque, inaugurated in 1905, is the first in France and overseas. It can accommodate up to 4,000 people. The facade is equipped with a minaret that rises to 32 m, it is easily spotted in the heart of the city. The call to prayer is pronounced three times a day in the streets of Saint-Denis.

A place for creation, expression and exchange, La Fabrik highlights transversality, popular culture and interactivity with the inhabitants of a neighbourhood undergoing rapid change. Theatre, music, urban dance, circus: the artists in residence come from all disciplines and regularly invite the public to attend "worksites", open rehearsals, meetings and renderings of residencies. Since 2018, the Fabrik has been managed by the National Drama Centre of the Indian Ocean, thus pooling their resources and missions.

Facing the Barachois, this building, originally planned as a department store, became the grand lodge upon its delivery in 1739. It is the official residence of the island's governors. Its current architecture is the sum of several campaigns of work. In 1822, Jean-François Gaudin added a forecourt surmounted by a dome and a belvedere. The varangues are equipped with neoclassical pillars and columns. Then in 1951, the architect Jean Hébrard had the belvedere removed and began the complete restoration of the building.

From Saint-Denis, take the direction " Bretagne Domenjod " then head towards the Rivière des Pluies. Just before the bridge, follow the sign indicating Ilet Quinquina. You arrive in a village of 200 inhabitants, where you can bivouac and picnic. Quinquina, a tree also known as the "anti-fever tree" used in pharmacies, is grown here. A change of scenery guaranteed. Go there rather during the week to the weekend for peace and quiet. For the more sporty, you can continue to the ravine of Grand Bénoune.

A trail that is regularly closed because it is quite dangerous, but a walk that is worth it when it is open. It is better to ask the ONF or the Maison de la montagne for information. The access is located on the D42, going up from Bellepierre towards Le Brûlé. At the level of the water reservoir, take the path of the hill on the right. The beginning of the path is indicated by a panel. You will pass through grandiose landscapes along the lush valley of the Saint-Denis River. The reward is a cool, shaded pool and waterfalls.

From industrial activity (flour mills, forges, chocolate factories, bakeries...) over the centuries to the river's ecosystem, military or religious monuments and the skills of the local people, these neighborhoods are full of riches just waiting to be shared. The Pti Colibri association has enlisted the help of professionals to help you discover this little-known heritage. Four Tikatsou guided tours are offered in the Bas de la Rivière, Colline and Petite Île neighborhoods. Get curious!

The Jardin de la Maison d'Edith was the first to be classified as a Remarkable Garden by the French Ministry of Culture and Communication. It's a place of tranquility and history, where plants and buildings mingle before a magnificent ocean view. It encloses a magnificent Creole house whose rooms can be rented for a minimum of 2 nights. We advise you to come equipped with closed shoes and long clothes, as mosquitoes can be legion.

What if you were to rediscover the secrets of "galabé", the long-defunct sweet of yesteryear? After years of research and testing, Alexis Rivière, from a family with deep roots in the island's sugar and farming history, has revived the production of this traditional Reunionese sweet, which is still fondly remembered by old-timers. In 2022, in the heart of the Beau Pays, on the historic Bel Air farm in Sainte-Suzanne, the site of the family business, Alexis set up his own factory, the Payet & Rivière micro-sugar factory. Visitors will be able to discover the galabé production process, now used in all its forms by top pastry chefs on Réunion Island and in mainland France, and taste the product. "Galabé" also represents a whole range of by-products (lontan sweets, syrups, spreads, etc.) that you can discover on site. But it's also a unique experience for visitors, evoking the history of the family, the plantation, and the various stages in the cultivation and processing of sugarcane. Of the estate's 200 hectares, three are reserved for the micro-sugar factory. These areas are now cultivated according to the principles of organic farming, a first on Réunion Island. The Payet & Rivière estate and micro-sugar factory complement visits to the two major sugar factories (Bois-Rouge and Le Gol), along with the Stella Matutina Museum and the Saga of Rum. An experience not to be missed.

This former leper colony, built in the middle of the 19th century, is today a pleasant small craft and associative space, which serves as the centre of the Saint-Bernard district. It is about fifteen minutes from the beginning of the Mountain. You will find a restaurant, local shops, the local library, a hairdresser, a florist and a medical centre in the various lodges of this historical monument, arranged around a grassy courtyard.

A beautiful private contemporary art gallery of 200 ^m2 with its patio which exposes mainly artists from Reunion Island or continental Europe. Here, eclecticism is the order of the day; styles vary, succeed one another, clash from exhibition to exhibition and from season to season. A dynamic address to discover in the heart of Saint-Denis. A little crush for the exhibited artists coming from street art like Jérôme Mesnager or very pop like Nimbus. Surprise: the gallery is also open to artists or associations of artists wishing to present their works.

Not far from the fruit and vegetable market, other rituals take place in a beautiful Tamil temple, colorful and decorated with multiple deities. In 1917, there was only a small temple named Kôvil, made of tin. It was rebuilt in concrete in 1956 and enlarged in the 1980s to form an architectural complex called Shri Kali Kambal Kôvil. The latest expansion work dates from 2012. To visit the temples, take off your shoes, get rid of your leather items and check other requests indicated on a sign at the entrance.

The estate of Marencourt, which covers 26 ha, is mainly devoted to the cultivation of cane. The owners' house, a beautiful mansion flanked by two red turrets, sometimes illustrates the tourist brochures. But in reality, once built in wood cladding, it was largely destroyed during the cyclone of 1962 and then rebuilt as a permanent structure. Only one of the outer walls is still original. The estate dates back to the 19th century and was bought in 1890 by Édouard Manès, one of the last governors of Reunion Island.

Upstream of the Bassin Boeuf is the Bassin Grondin, which can be reached by parking a little higher up and at the cost of a nice hike in the undergrowth, dotted with guava trees between April and June. The site is ideal for an introduction to canyoning: jumps, zip lines, abseiling... Be careful however, in case of heavy rain, the waterfalls triple in volume and the pools fill up in a few minutes, crossed by destructive currents. If it rains or the sky is threatening, even far upstream, don't risk it and turn back.

This departmental forest is crossed by numerous hiking trails of varying difficulty. The Fougères trail, intended for a family audience, tells the story of Sylvèr, a young fern merchant from Salazie who set off in the direction of the Saint-Denis market (count three hours). For the more sporty, the Piton de la Plaine des Fougères path allows you to make a loop with a view of the Salazie circus. We advise you to leave in the morning.

Located at the eastern end of the Roland Garros airport, the port of Sainte-Marie is home to about 180 boats, pleasure boats and fishing boats. The place is charming and much appreciated as a place to walk and watch the planes take off, but also for fishermen. There are also restaurants and refreshment stands where you can enjoy ice creams and pancakes while sitting on the edge of the dykes, your feet playing with the foam of the waves.