Things to see and do West

Johan Morel opens the doors of his artisanal distillery perched on the heights of Saint-Leu to explain the manufacturing process of his essential oils. The young enthusiast distils in an old copper still local aromatic and medicinal plants that he grows on site. You will enjoy both the good smells and the magnificent panoramic view of the west coast. These essential oils are sold in the pretty little shop decorated with vintage objects. This immersive tour promises to awaken your senses!

Paulo and his team of volunteers have created an experimental, medicinal, food and spice garden to promote a neglected botanical heritage. During your visit, you'll wander through the arboretum, where the scent of citrus trees wafts through the air, the educational apiary and the corner reserved for herbal teas and spices. Many endemic species have been replanted, and Paulo will be delighted to explain their uses to you. You can also find them selling garden produce every Saturday at the Éperon organic market.

Here is a small museum dedicated to the history of salt in Reunion Island. Perched on the magnificent site of the Pointe au Sel (which alone is worth the detour), this establishment offers an educational stroll through amusing questions and answers: why does the salary come from the word "salt"? Why is sea water salty? A twenty-minute film will be shown to you on your arrival and will retrace the interesting history of these places. We advise you to call beforehand to check the opening of the museum.

All along the route, soft lighting, background music and numerous interactive modules help you to discover Reunion Island in five different areas: the volcanic cliffs, the corals, the coral reef, the lagoon, the beaches, the plankton, the sharks, the marine mammals and the underwater depths, that's 600 000 l of sea water, 700 coral fish, that's 150 species, from groupers, jacks, sharks, barracudas, clown fish, to the great diversity of corals, echinoderms and crustaceans.

Created in 2007, it covers an area of about 35 km2 and stretches along the coast for 40 km, half of which along the coral reef: from Cap la Houssaye (Boucan-Canot) to Roche aux Oiseaux (L'Etang-Salé les Bains). This area is home to a unique biodiversity in overseas France, threatened by pollution and excessive fishing. Yellow beacons planted in the lagoon and in the sea delimit three protection zones. Follow its news on its website.

An unavoidable stop on the Maïdo road, a visit to Jean-Yves Bègue's distillery is like a moment suspended in time. Jean-Yves will be pleased to explain you the process of distilling geranium, camphor, eucalyptus and cryptomeria. He perpetuates the family tradition in the greatest simplicity and shares his know-how with passion. He will tell you how the cultivation of geraniums has played a great role in the history of the Western Highlands. You will then be able to leave with these essential oils thanks to his shop.

The Grotte du Peuplement is located at the southern exit of Saint-Paul, opposite the Cimetière Marin. Legend has it that it served as a refuge for the 1663 arrivals, but historical studies have proven this to be false. This site was named the "Cave of the First Frenchmen" in the 1960s, after having been called the "Cave of the Portuguese" or the "Cave of the 12 Exiles". As the cave remains inaccessible due to falling rocks, you can enjoy the pleasant park which was completely redeveloped in 2016, ideal for a family picnic.

In the heart of Saint-Gilles, this inter-communal office covers all the communes of Saint-Paul, La Possession, Trois Bassins and Saint-Leu. The office allows you to make reservations for all the communes covered for hiking gites, holiday rentals, bed and breakfast, hotels, and leisure activities throughout the island, via the regional reservation platform. The office also offers its famous Zarlors such as the "Zarlor Détente Paddle".

A botanical tour and private nursery with a concentration of nearly 700 species, including Madagascar baobabs, desert roses and pachypodiums. Visits follow a guided tour with supporting documentation and signposting to discover the natural environment and the adaptation of the species. This private collection is breathtaking, and highly recommended for enthusiasts! As for the nursery, it offers seeds from plants encountered along the way and much more besides.

Jean-Jacques Magdeleine presents a circuit around the geraniums (5 € per person, on reservation, 45 min). He also offers other walks «On the Trail of old crafts and flora» in collaboration with the Creole Villages.

This sanctuary, which majestically overlooks the bay of Saint-Leu and the small flower sellers who gather daily at the foot of its Way of the Cross, is the scene of an annual pilgrimage held in mid-September, which is very popular with the faithful from all over the island. Built by the inhabitants of the town when cholera struck Reunion in 1859, claiming more than 2,200 victims, the chapel has enjoyed a reputation as a miraculous place since its inauguration. Remember to arrive early if you wish to attend the procession.

In the 1970s, a handful of illustrious Réunionese artists fell in love with the site, a former industrial wasteland, the heir to a sugar factory that had been abandoned since 1935. They dreamed of a village where Reunion's creative talents could come together. In 1978, the Association pour la promotion du site de l'Éperon (Association for the promotion of the Éperon site) was formed, founding the "village artisanal de l'Éperon". In 2014, some fifteen artists occupy workshop-boutiques, whose products go beyond traditional Reunionese crafts. Today, it's not so much a craft village in the strict sense of the word, but rather a locality, located on Rue Fond Générèse, a pretty cobbled street with a fountain and flower-filled spaces, bringing together artisan and designer workshops (pottery and ceramics, stained glass, painting, framing, illustrations, design..), boutiques selling ready-to-wear, jewelry, bags and fashion accessories, concept stores, a café-library, two hairdressers, a wine cellar... not forgetting a few excellent places to eat and spend a pleasant moment suspended in an atmosphere of its own. The Association also organizes a popular annual Christmas craft market (usually held on the first weekend of December), a craft festival and a Reunion music festival. See the association's Facebook page (www.facebook.com/asso.eperon974/) for more details. Two free parking lots are available at the entrance and exit of the village.

A few hundred meters from the fairground, the new landing stage looked great when it was inaugurated in 2009, next to the monument commemorating the abolition of slavery. It was quickly adopted by the inhabitants who come there to fish at any time, to walk around or even to take their wedding photos. However, the initial goal, which was to welcome diving and cruising boats, has completely failed since no boat has ever docked there. After being damaged in 2013, walkers can once again access its end.

Corail Hélicoptères offers daily flights over the island aboard its H130s, the latest additions to the Airbus Hélicoptères range, with seating for six passengers and panoramic views for all. Departing from the Ermitage heliport or Pierrefonds airport, and usually in the morning, you can enjoy all the natural wonders of Réunion Island from the air: the three cirques (Mafate, Salazie, Cilaos), the Trou de Fer, Takamaka, the volcano and the lagoon. We also offer private flights in groups of six, with the option of an inland drop-off.

On leaving Saint-Paul, at the end of the four-lane road, you can see a deep ravine to the left, which retains a wild, old-world charm. In the background is a lush, peaceful atmosphere; along a narrow path, you can admire bluish waterfalls and breathe in the fresh air. The place inspired Évariste de Parny, Roussin, Leconte de Lisle and even George Sand in her first novel Indiana, based on the notes of her botanist friend. The gully is unkempt and therefore littered in places, so mosquito repellent is de rigueur.

Along the Chaussée Royale, you won't be able to miss this beautiful Creole house, surrounded by a large garden, which belonged to the Desbassyns family, rich planters. Nicknamed "Grand kour", it was the most important of all the Desbassyns' residences. After Mrs. Desbassyns' death, her granddaughter donated it to the bishopric in 1855, which turned it into a school. Today it belongs to the city and is one of the two listed monuments in the commune. It is awaiting a restoration in keeping with its history.

Inaugurated in 1992, it symbolically sketches the shape of a tree on 7 ha. Its numerous alleys are the branches that lead to the leaf areas, intended for graves, dotted with frangipani, pomegranate, ylang-ylang and palm trees. In order to see the contours of this area, you have to climb aboard a microlight (the companies fly over it). Beware, drones are forbidden. A real green space, it does not resemble its ancestor, the cemetery of the Plague, which was reserved for the victims of the epidemic.

A pleasant and easy stroll in a gully and pond, 5 minutes from the city centre. Count one hour round trip from the car park. You will walk through a well-kept site, to gradually immerse yourself in the bucolic freshness of the gully, planted with papyrus and dreams. The cliffs become progressively higher, inhabited by numerous strawtails. The path is wide and almost flat, accessible to all and very busy. You will arrive on small pools covered with duckweed.

Inaugurated in 2016, this is the most recent branch of the Office intercommunal de l'Ouest, which covers all the communes of Saint-Paul, La Possession, Trois Bassins and Saint-Leu. The office enables reservations to be made for all the communes covered, for self-catering cottages, seasonal rentals, bed & breakfasts, hotels and leisure activities throughout the island, via the regional reservation platform. Numerous Zarlor-Loisirs packages are available.

A belvedere overlooking the Pointe au Sel is now a reality along Rue du Musée, in the Quatre Robinets district. Inaugurated in 2014, this relaxation area was built on a former dump and now offers several sheltered kiosks with barbecues. It thus offers residents and tourists a rest and picnic area open to all. The place is ideal for enjoying the magnificent sunset.

Here is a pleasant walk on the oldest paved road of Saint-Paul. In the past, it was used to transport crops (especially coffee) by oxcart from Bellemène to the centre of the western capital. This magnificent three hundred year old path has been undergoing restoration for nearly seven years. The Bellemène Pavé association has recreated a Lontan village with a hut, a chicken coop, a kitchen and even a cabin. The climb takes about thirty minutes and offers a superb panorama of the western coastline, from Cape Lahoussaye to the Port.

The Bassin Bleu tunnel, created by the volcanic activity of the Piton des Neiges, is Réunion's oldest lava tunnel (over 450,000 years old). Located just a few kilometers from the lagoon, it is one of the only tunnels in the west of the island, and the most interesting for its length (around 500 m) and diversity. Its geological interest and observable fauna, including colonies of Mascarene salanganes in the tunnel and birds (bitterns, moorhens) in the basin, with a small zip-line at the exit, make it a popular family outing.

Little is known about it, but the town of Le Port is also home to some beautiful Creole huts, which once housed the engineers and managers of shipping companies following the creation of the port at the end of the 19th century. With its wide galleries on two levels and its imposing roofs, this architecture, typical of the former French and English colonies, offers a great opportunity to take a different look at the town of Le Port, too often neglected by tourists. If you are a fan of 19th century heritage, the town of Le Port will delight you.

The lazaret of the Grande Chaloupe is one of the quarantine sites erected in the 19th century to prevent the spread of epidemics. Owned by the Departmental Council since 1946, then listed as a historical monument in 1998, it has been the subject of restoration campaigns and now houses a permanent exhibition on engagement and quarantine. It is an essential site to understand what is "engagementism". In another room of the site, you can also discover temporary exhibitions of contemporary artists.

On the hiking path leading to the Alcide islet, discover one of the oldest trees of Reunion Island: the King of Tamarins. With its trunk measuring 9 m and its branches reaching 19 m high, it dominates the forest that surrounds it. More than 400 years old, it has a circumference of 3.89 m. Despite the cyclones and storms that have broken part of its branches, it remains majestic. If it could, it would even tell us about its encounter with the first inhabitants of the island. Continuing the hike, you will reach a viewpoint on the Maïdo.

The wasteland is a former post office sorting centre that served the towns of Le Port and La Possession. The city decided to set up artists' residences there as of 2016; on the strength of this success, it is renewing this experience in 2019 around creation, education and mediation. This large hangar thus houses artists' studios, exhibitions and numerous events in the courtyard. Street art artists have the place of honour.

Mathieu and Clovis propose you to discover the city of Le Port through its town centre. Through the walk "In the footsteps of the pioneers of the desert", you will discover how this city was built, how the first port of Reunion Island came out of the ground and above all what role the advent of the railway played in Reunion Island. Your walk will end with a visit of the fairground market on the famous railwaymen's square. Go there with your eyes wide open!

The town takes its name from Mr. Laleu, who was the first to build a racket on this stretch of coast. The small town became a commune in 1790 and was then named Saint-Leu. The land here was excellent for growing coffee, around which the town grew rapidly. The building housing the town hall is a remnant of this prosperous period. The most striking episode in the history of Saint-Leu is undoubtedly that of the slave revolt of 1811.

Linking the Maïdo to the Tévelave at an altitude of 1,700 m, the forest road of the Tamarins stretches for about thirty kilometres. If it is the starting point of several hiking trails such as Piton Rouge, it is just as pleasant to come and rest. Numerous picnic areas equipped with tables, shaded kiosks and barbecue are provided for this purpose. The Reunionese like to meet there on weekends with their families, far from the heat of the coastline.

Every Friday morning, the scouts of the West Tourist Office take you on a fascinating guided tour of the town centre of Saint-Paul, the cradle of Reunion Island's population. From the marine cemetery to the landing stage, via the Grotte du Peuplement (formerly the grotte des Premiers Français) or the gardens of the town hall, the historical sites and heritage of this town, which has been awarded the "Ville d'art et d'histoire" (City of Art and History) label, will hold no secrets for you!