Tourist Attractions & Monuments Réunion

Located in the heart of the famous Isautier distillery created in 1845, the Saga of Rum is the only museum dedicated to rum in Reunion Island. Thanks to exhibition spaces and short films, you can discover the history and the successive stages of rum production. From elevated walkways, one can observe machines, stills and distillation columns. The visit ends at the "Dépôt de Rhum", a store fitted out as a Creole village where you can find all the ranges of rums and liqueurs, as well as local products from Reunion Island.

This bow-shaped basalt promontory, pierced by a cave, is a spectacular stopover. The waves crash so violently that the cliff trembles, the atmosphere disturbed by the sea spray becomes mystical. The place is pleasant and wild, bordered by a forest of vacoas, ideal for a picnic or a meal in one of the restaurants. In August, the festival of the vacoa and the palm tree takes place on the site. Finally you will surely meet here a lady, well known to the locals, who harasses passers-by to distract them from the devil! You can even find her on YouTube!

A historical witness to the life of the nineteenth century, the house and its lush garden, built in the heart of the old spa resort, are inscribed in historic monuments. Maintained with love by its owner, the home offers its thousands of visitors a delicious evoke of life in Hell-Bourg during the governors. We're coming out of the field with tasty anecdotes and funny Creole expressions. Raphaël Folio died in March 2018, leaving him with the care to tell you his legacy.

Discover the history of Reunion Island through its flora, from 1715 to the present day. Vanilla, vetiver, perfume plants, ornamental plants, creepers, bamboo, reconstitution of endemic forest... More than 900 varieties are gathered in this small paradise. The guides are as passionate as they are talkative. And what about coffee? 1 hectare is devoted to it, including the star: pointed Bourbon! You can taste it at the coffee bar, located in the craft shop, at attractive prices. The refreshment bar also prepares local home-made pastries. It is one of the most beautiful gardens in the south. Exciting visit.

Created in 1968, the island's only vanilla cooperative buys, collects and processes the green vanilla grown in the forests of the island's east and southeast, by the hundred or so producers it groups together, supervises and trains. Through gardens, workshops and enthusiastic guides, the guided tour allows you to learn more about the history of vanilla, and discover the different stages of ripening, processing and pollination of this famous "black gold". The boutique offers a wide selection of vanilla beans and related products, as well as a delicious vanilla coffee.

This steaming steel monster, which never sleeps in the middle of the sugar cane fields, is one of the last two sugar factories on Réunion Island. It adjoins the Savanna distillery, allowing visitors to combine a sugar factory and a distillery in a single visit (from July to December). An industrial universe that impresses both by its sheer size and by the detail of its production processes. By reservation only, this interesting and animated journey through Réunion's sugar odyssey begins at the Tafia & Galabé boutique (please note the clothing restrictions detailed on the web page). After a few explanations on the history of the Bois Rouge site, you'll be transported along the cane journey (crushing, juice extraction, syrup making, purification, crystallization), and it's a real spectacle of sounds, lights and smells, made even more impressive at sunset with the last departure at 6pm. In the second part of the tour, a visit to the distillery will introduce you to the meticulous production of great rums, from fermentation processes to the mysteries of ageing, right in the Savanna Distillery cellar. Finally, a rum tasting will help you identify the production processes and flavors discovered during the tour, not to mention various local pure cane artisanal products (sugars, syrups and jams). The boutique is also a great place to shop, with expert advice on the products on offer.

Built facing the ocean in 1780, the marine cemetery is home to many characters who have marked the history of the island: the Desbassayns family, the poets Leconte De Lisle and Eugène Dayot or unfortunate Breton sailors, tragically shipwrecked in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The best time to visit this place of contemplation is undoubtedly late afternoon, when the sun sets over the magnificent bay of Saint-Paul. Ask the city's architecture and heritage animator for information on visits.

Located in the commune of Saint-Paul, Réunion's first "site-museum", built on a vast colonial estate, evokes the prosperity of a Creole family who left their mark on the island's history in the ^17th and ^19th centuries, during the era of slavery. This illustrious family, who built a sugar factory on their estate in Villèle in 1827, contributed to the island's economic development under the leadership of^Mme Desbassayns (1755-1846), an emblematic and highly controversial figure in Reunionese history. Her death marked the end of the estate's prosperity, which passed to the heirs, the fruit of an alliance with a noble family from Toulouse, the Villèle family. The guided tour takes in the master's house (where temporary educational, historical and artistic exhibitions take place), the master's kitchen outside the main building, the slave hospital (where a memorial was inaugurated in 1996) and the remains of the sugar factory. Finally, you can discover the small Pointed Chapel, built on a small hill between 1841 and 1843, a place of worship and the scene of the evangelization of the estate's slaves. The Musée de Villèle also boasts a number of collections, including period furniture, model ships, silverware, prints and lithographs... A fascinating visit that leaves no visitor indifferent. Educational tours are also organized.

At 11 km from Les Makes, this breathtaking view of the Cilaos circus is a must. The access is equipped for people with reduced mobility. It is best to arrive at dawn and before 9am at the latest to enjoy the show. Count 1 hour drive from Les Bas. The winding D20 is signposted from Saint-Louis. From June to December, you will come across trailers overflowing with cane, pulled by tractors or, more rarely, by mocha oxen. It is also the starting point for hikes, including a 3.5-hour hike offering sumptuous panoramas.

This tropical ethno-botanical garden of 2.5 ha reconciles beauty, diversity and pedagogy. It was directed by Philippe Kaufmant, a passionate botanical engineer from Lorraine, who died in 1992, one year after the realization of his lifelong dream: an extraordinary garden. In addition to the 700 varieties of plant species (including plants endemic to Reunion Island), you may be lucky enough to observe cardinals, chameleons, black water hens with red beaks, serins and butterflies. There are also workshops and one-off events to be discovered on the website.

Wild, grandiose and atypical, this black sand beach will surely mark you. Its beauty is only equalled by the danger it can represent. Outside the swimming areas, the risk of sharks is real. Surfing is now forbidden. The currents are also very powerful. Fortunately, nets are installed with a MNS station and allow to refresh and play in the waves. On the beach, the sand can be very hot, especially in summer! Keep a close eye on your swarm and prefer to put your towel in the shade of the filaos.

The town of Saint-Paul is built and stretches along the largest bay on the island. With its perfect curvature from the Port to Cap la Houssaye, it looks like a huge black sand beach, deserted... but forbidden for swimming because of the currents, swell and sharks. You can stroll along the landscaped path that runs along the coast, where lovers and families come to stroll and observe the 17th and 18th century cannons, before slipping into one of the perpendicular streets that will take you into the town.

A haven of peace between Salazia and Hell-Bourg. At dawn, an atmosphere of peace and quiet is carried by the singing of birds and a few water hens can be seen. At weekends, the laughter of the children reveals a more festive and family atmosphere. For camping or picnicking, you can reach this place in 15 minutes on foot. Several kiosks overlook the water. It is also a place steeped in history, where you can see the remains of the dwellings of the first land concessionaires. The place is exotic, shady and welcoming, and is a place of great beauty.

A spectacular and refreshing stopover in the East. The waterfalls of the Windward Coast are much more watery than those of the West, and while Niagara obviously looks pale beside its American namesake, it still dominates the St. Suzanne River and its ruffled banks some 50 metres high, imposing its thunderous roar on them, especially in summer during the rainy season. Don't be surprised to see Reunion Islanders rushing there after a heavy rainstorm to admire the spectacle. Watch out for the weekend rush.

Remarkable sites, classified as natural sites, these basins with their waterfalls and basaltic organ walls are worth a detour. The basin la Paix, very well signposted to the car park, is on the right (contrary to what the sign indicates). Steps carve the steep descent. Straight to the car park, the Bassin la Mer is wilder. Be careful, since March 2018, it is forbidden to swim in the Bassin la Paix, due to numerous accidents (hydrocutions, currents...).

The only high altitude lake of volcanic origin in Reunion Island, the tour of Grand-Étang is a very nice family walk, with multiple ferns and the majestic waterfalls of Bras d'Annette. To get there, follow the RN3 towards Saint-Pierre for 10 kilometres, and, near the Payet bridge, branch off on the road to Grand-Étang. You will reach the lake in half an hour's walk. You can then go around on foot or on horseback (there is a very good horse farm nearby) in about 1 hour. It is beautiful, quiet and green. A call to meditation.

It is one of the largest in the Indian Ocean and can accommodate up to 1,800 worshippers. Inaugurated in 1975, a Sunni Islam of Hanafite rite is practiced there. You will admire in particular the wouzou khana, the place of purification: hands, face, arms and feet are washed up to the ankles. White coats await on the first floor for those who have not hidden their knees and shoulders. Green dominates the floor, the colour of paradise, while the rich woods of the walls give this beautiful building an atmosphere of solemn meditation.

In the ^18th century, the area was invaded by a salt marsh that prevented cultivation. In 1873, a certain Robert proposed using filaos to fix the sand in the dunes. Over a million were planted. Today, the forest (922 ha) is divided into sections: the first to stabilize the dunes, the second for biological conservation, the third for firewood production and the fourth, 10 km long, for public use. The forest has become a leisure paradise: hiking, horseback riding, cycling (recumbent, elliptical), quad biking, segway, fitness trail...

Located on the village's artisanal square, on the first floor, this tourist office will inform you about all the activities, accommodation, restaurants with their opening hours and the state of the paths of the Salazie circus, their possible closure, the weather conditions to come, as well as about all the communes of the East, since it is an intermunicipal office. It is also an information relay for the national park. The welcome is warm.

Traced in an abandoned tea forest for more than 40 years, at the foot of the mountains, this vegetal labyrinth winds for nearly 700 m, without counting its dead ends and numerous side roads. You can discover all the stages of tea making on the only plantation in France! According to Jojo Guichard, owner of the site, it is capable of blossoming the five senses like the petals of the tea flower. For the sight, the exceptional site of Grand-Coude; for the hearing, the songs of endemic birds (zoiseau white, zoiseau glasses, zoiseau the Virgin, tec-tec...); for the touch, the velvety of the tree ferns and the diversity of textures of the tree trunks; for the smell, the suave perfume of the tea flower, of the geranium, of the galabert, or still the fresh exhalations of the humus As for the taste, it is after the visit that it will be satisfied by a pleasant cup of tea! Green or white tea, natural or scented with local essences. Sensual and bucolic, the stroll is embellished with places to stop: a small log cabin in the heart of the trail, themed games. A great idea for a walk in the heart of nature in the South, for young and old. Guided tours of about 1 hour are offered upon reservation at 10am or 2pm. A sales area La Maison du thé, with tea of course, but also tea syrup, tea jelly, essential oils, etc. You can also find on the website the different points of sale of their products in the island.

The three-century-old Domaine du Grand-Hazier opens the doors to its two-hectare garden and the beautiful Creole house that sits on the throne. It is representative of the great sugar estates of the end of the 18th century on the East coast. But the main attraction of the estate is indeed its vanilla, which has been awarded the gold medal several times at the Paris Agricultural Show. A guided tour will allow you to know everything about vanilla: from the discovery of its fertilization in the 19th century, to the production of today's excellent frosted vanilla.

Originally the name of a tree, Takamaka is an exceptional site, a tropical paradise, with steep mountains and waterfalls, Jurassic Park style. It holds records with more than 6 m of rain per year. A viewpoint is accessible at the end of the beautiful D53. To do so, follow Bourbier, the first exit of the four-lane road leaving Saint-Benoît from the north. The dam, built in 1969, supplied the island with 100% renewable energy. Today, it is only 30%. Go very early and only in good weather. There are opportunities for sports hikes.

The office is located at the north entrance of Saint-Leu. It covers the communes of Saint-Paul, La Possession, Le Port, Trois Bassins, Saint-Leu and the cirque of Mafate. In addition to the information provided, the team also handles reservations for your accommodation and leisure activities throughout the island, via the regional reservation platform. The office also organises all year round packs to discover the west of Reunion Island: the Zarlor, the treasures of the West.

The Saint-Gilles ravine, which flows from the Éperon to the Port of Saint-Gilles, feeds several heavenly pools and waterfalls. Beware, access to most of them is forbidden since 2002 by prefectural decree, and, if everyone ignores it and passes anyway, know that the paths leading to them are not always easy to practice. The ponds supply Saint-Gilles with water. It is for the sake of hygiene and because the community fears that they will become a public dumping ground that they are forbidden to enter.

This district, wedged between two ramparts, combines residences, industry and historical relics. It's well worth a detour, if only to admire the bichique fishermen's canals, or to stroll along the banks at the river mouth. Along the rue de la Boulangerie, you'll find ^19th-century shops, including the freestone house at the corner of rue du Pont, dated 1835. Portions of the mill canal are still visible at the foot of the Tikatsou staircase. Adjust your gaze and you won't be disappointed.

Called Pic Adam or Piton Bois de Nèfles, this hike offers a beautiful view of the coast. Named after Captain Pierre Adam, who installed there and in Mauritius, in 1881, oil-powered optical signal devices, this peak is accessible by the Bois-de-Nèfles road. The point of view can be earned after a 1 to 2 hour walk of about 4 km. We recommend this hike from May to July, during the guava season! It is, moreover, accessible with the family.

Founded by the renowned Aimé Rivière aka Mémé, this charming boutique offers delicious local products to take home, including their famous turmeric, a spice with recognized medicinal and gustatory qualities here in powder, syrup, jam, vinegar or punch. They also organize half-day tours of the garden, the farm and the spice cave, ending with a Creole meal. An authentic stopover, as rich in color as it is in flavor! Products also available for international delivery on the website.

The offices of the Office are accessible from the top of the Grand Kiosks. Turn left and walk along the retaining wall. A charming welcome, relevant information on the trails and the volcano, a must visit if you go through the Plaine des Cafres. Also all the information you need to discover the nature in the surroundings with hiking, horse riding, mountain biking or 4x4. If you need a taxi, don't hesitate to go through them.

This southeastern cape of the island offers a spectacular panorama. The contrast between the black of the coastline, the blue of the ocean, the white of the waves and the green of the flora which is taking back its rights, with vacoas several metres high, is striking. Panels explaining the origins of the 1986 flow show the horseshoe shape of the volcanic area and invite visitors to walk on the 30 hectares that have extended the tip of the Table. From the Puits-des-Anglais car park, one can walk on the lava platform and join the RN2.

Réunion is one of the best preserved islands in the world. The ONF maintains 987 km of trails in the 100,311 ha of public forests, i.e. 40% of the island's surface area. Its main missions are to welcome, protect, produce and employ. To find out about the state of the trails, consult the " Info Sentiers " section at the bottom of the home page of the ONF Réunion website. The site also contains a wealth of information on the island's natural heritage.

This road was built under the authority of Mahé de La Bourdonnais in 1732, then paved with basalt stones in 1775, on the initiative of Governor Crémont. But it was in 1810, when the British invaded the island, that it took on the name of chemin des Anglais, as it gave them a strategic position from which to attack Saint-Denis by surprise and take the island from the French, who ceded it back to them in 1814. This path, the oldest on the island, stretches 9 km from La Possession to Grande Chaloupe, overlooking the ocean from the top of the cliff.

Juanito Boyer is a "marmaille la cours", you can hear a local child, who knows Saint-Philippe and its lava tunnels like the back of his hand. A mountain guide, he has been surveying these tunnels for several years and will make you discover exceptional sites. Bring long clothes (ideally jeans), closed shoes and water. Safety equipment is provided (gloves, helmet, headgear, knee pads). Don't forget to bring your camera to immortalize the magic of these dark, improbably shaped bowels.

During the terrible volcanic eruption of 1977, when dozens of houses in the village of Sainte-Rose were destroyed by lava, this church was miraculously spared. The lava flow surrounded the church, but never penetrated inside. Built in 1927, L'Enfant-Jésus-de-Prague church was renamed Notre-Dame-des-Laves. In front of it, a statue, La Métisse, created by local artists, symbolizes the suffering endured by the inhabitants at the time.

Starting from the Vincendo marine, here is a pleasant path offering superb panoramas on the wild coast, where the Indian Ocean comes to throw itself on the volcanic rock covered with Durand potatoes. Easy to access, the short walk will lead you to the Yellow Cape, a cliff of about fifty meters high, of ochre color. This geological curiosity is a rare natural wonder in Reunion Island. Its color comes from lava called hyaloclastite. A very steep path leads down to the foot of the cape, but be careful!

This permanent exhibition, which can be visited in 20 minutes, offers explanations of the historic volcanic flow of 1977. Beautiful photos and poetic texts are accompanied by newspaper articles from the time, tracing the beginnings of the event back to the wakes of the frozen lava. Testimonials, vibrant with fraternity, reveal the impulse of generosity of the Reunionese people to help the wounded inhabitants. An 8-minute film is also proposed.

This oratory owes its popularity to a "miracle". On May 27, 1940, an old lady is said to have seen the statue of the Virgin move there. Since then it has been a place of recollection and prayer. Always full of flowers, this cave testifies to the attachment that many Reunionese have to the Virgin Mary's cult. The configuration of the site presents the originality of offering two devotions side by side. The grotto of Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes is in fact backed by a Holy Expedition.

The tourist office welcomes you to discover, in the most beautiful and complete way possible, the "domaine des laves". At the gates of the Grand Brûlé, the site of the volcanic flows offers a wild environment, made of tropical rainforests, basaltic rocks and an untamed coastline. Here you will find all the information you need about accommodation, restaurants, activities, hiking trails and guided tours in and around the commune.

Created in 2007, its 1,054 km² encompass 42% of the island. It was founded to ensure both human and ecological preservation of the heart of the island. The fauna and flora, the forest, the volcano, the cirques, the landscapes, the traditions and the roots of Reunion's identity are all assets to be protected. Visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists, the national park constitutes a real laboratory for sustainable development in order to respond to the realities of the territory.

The former royal garden, which extends over 4 ha, was originally created between 1767 and 1773 with the aim of acclimatising exotic food and ornamental plants. Elegant, its layout was redesigned for the 1972 floral displays, but it still houses a number of rare botanical species. You won't miss its beautiful avenue of palm trees. Renovated in 2009, this site classified as a Historic Monument, ideal for an educational visit or simply for a coffee on the terrace, offers beautiful water games for children. An unmissable stopover!

An embroidery shop where you can see an embroiderer at work. She works there all day long, on a tablecloth stretched on a "drum". Luciane Técher will make you discover all the current embroidery techniques. Inspired by Tenerife lace, she asserts her method by getting rid of excess frills. This long work is today threatened by Malagasy imports at low prices. Souvenirs to bring back: framed embroideries or coasters.

So named because of its location at the foot of the Piton des Neiges, the church is built in the Art Deco style of the 1930s. Its half-moon façade makes it original. The nave and choir were made by cabinetmakers from the Rivière-Saint-Louis region. Before entering, on the left, the tomb of Father Boiteau, a builder much appreciated by the villagers. When his death was announced, the faithful built the tomb in a single night. For some, it has miraculous virtues. Since the year 2000, the church has been listed in the inventory of historical monuments.

After several years of closure, the Château Morange cultural center has reopened its doors. With a strong focus on the visual arts, it offers a program of cinema, photography and video art. And it doesn't stop there, as you can enjoy concerts by artists on the patio or in the auditorium. The château, built in 1853 by Jean-Baptiste Prosper Morange, has undergone a complete restoration. The space is now the venue for numerous cultural events. See our Facebook page for the latest program.

This is a superb gateway to the cirque de Mafate. Easy but fairly long, the Orangers canalisation path, located for the most part on the rampart wall of the cirque de Mafate, offers a magnificent panorama. A must: with each step, the view opens up a little more over the cirque to the îlet des Orangers. On the way back, the coast gradually reveals itself. This hike is a change from the usual access to Mafate via the Col des Boeufs or the Rivière des Galets.

La maison du Géranium is a small country distillery, in the heart of a vast botanical garden of 3 800 m² planted with medicinal and food species, run by a friendly couple. Mr, a distiller from father to son for three generations, explains the extraction process of the essence of geranium, cryptomeria or eucalyptus... Everything depends on the day and what is simmering on the fire of the big still, condemned to sweat big drops of natural essences. Madame welcomes you in the souvenir shop, full of essential oils.

Built in 1857, the church of Sainte-Anne, with its original colours, is unique. Baroque in style, it is decorated with mouldings (some carved with a knife) and cement gargoyles. Inside, the Sainte-Thérèse chapel and its angelic sky blue vault is worth a stop. It has been classified as a historical monument since 1982. The scene of the wedding with Catherine Deneuve and Jean-Paul Belmondo in La Sirène du Mississipi, a film by François Truffaut, was even filmed in this church. The tourist office next door offers guided tours.

You will be able to admire the many viewpoints on the mountains, the circus and the river. Two kiosks are waiting for you to picnic in the shade. From there, you can take the Chemin de la Cascade Blanche and reach another point of view in 30 minutes. If you add another 20 minutes, you will be able to reach the waterfall, which is permanent all year round. This end of the route is recommended for sportsmen and women. Be careful, in any case, it climbs and you will have to cross a river: not to be done in rainy weather.

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!

This is the story of a family that has been growing vanilla for 4 generations. In the 1850s, Reunion Island was the cradle of vanilla development, but this tradition is disappearing. So in three quarters of an hour, you can discover all the stages: from the planting of the orchid plant to the sale, through the harvesting and packing of the beans in the workshop. At the end, you will be able to buy this famous black gold and why not learn how to plant it at home.

A true enthusiast, Maryse Mounier will introduce you to her primary forest, with its many endemic species, on which she has grown more than 5,000 vanilla lianas over 4 hectares. Not a building or a machine on the premises, here everything is natural and artisanal, in a listed area. Many explanations are given: planting, fertilization, processing and the main varieties of vanilla trees. Walking shoes recommended. Production offered for sale.

This timeless Creole estate, listed as a historical monument in 2018, welcomes you in a green and warm setting. It is a haven of peace that will fascinate lovers of history and botany. The mistress of the house offers you a guided tour from 10am to enjoy a perfect light, followed by a snack. If you wish to enjoy a picnic in the 3 ha forest, call her beforehand. She will concoct a gourmet basket for you to enjoy. She will also be able to reveal her secret corners.