Places to visit Industry Réunion

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.

Europe's largest cane sugar production unit, it produces 40 tonnes of sugar per hour, meaning that a semi-trailer loaded with sugar leaves the plant every half-hour, while a truck overflowing with sugar cane enters the plant every 4 minutes! The white smoke is not coming from the sugar factory itself, but from the adjoining power plant. It uses the sugar mill's bagasse to produce energy. A visit to the factory is a fascinating experience, with a tour that will stimulate all five senses.

Despite (or because of) its dilapidation, this old cane factory deserves to be moved. The walls have been torn open to reveal the huge machines used to crush, chop and clarify the cane and its juice. A mysterious, ghostly atmosphere when the light pierces the ceiling to illuminate moments, poetic or sinister, from another time. No visit of the factory is planned, no security is assured. To see one in operation, visit the Gol plant in Saint-Louis.

.' s water is naturally sparkling and highly appreciated by gourmets. It has been bottled since 1999.