The most beautiful shrines and pilgrimage sites to visit Réunion

Every May ^1st, crowds from all over the island gather in front of a small miraculous cave where, according to legend, Mario, a runaway slave, hid during the time of the Marooning. A bougainvillea bush is said to have grown at the entrance of the cave, blocking its access and sparing the fugitive from the rapacity of the chestnut hunters. If you ask passers-by about this legend, each one tells his own story. Protector of the oppressed, the Black Virgin, whose statue watches over this unusual cave, is highly respected on the island.

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.