SUCRERIE PAYET ET RIVIÈRE

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.