Reunion Volcano
General information
Reunion Island (otherwise known as La Réunion) was uninhabited until the mid-17th century, when it became a stopover on the burgeoning trade routes. The island was valued for its abundance of fresh water which was available near the coast. As a result, many navigators – Arabic, Portuguese and English – visited Reunion, which appeared on numerous maps under different names.
The French were first to inhabit Reunion. They used it as a prison, or rather a penal colony, for undesirables from Madagascar. The Kingdom of France then tried to penetrate the south of the Big Island, located 700km further west. In 1638, the small volcanic island became known as Bourbon, “possession of the king”. An engraved rock on the shore marked the occasion, and today Bourbon belongs to the community that calls itself the interesting name: La Possession!
Geography
Reunion scenes
Reunion is a small island that’s almost round in shape: a main road goes all the way around it, over 240 kilometres (150 miles). Born of two major volcanic events, the island takes the form of a mountain rising out of the ocean.
The first volcano occurred two-and-a-half million years ago. The magma gushing out of the crater spread around and into the ocean, making up what is today the high point of the island: the Piton des Neiges (snow peak), measuring 3 069 metres.
The second volcanic event occurred 380 000 years ago, about 30 kilometres to the southeast. A new volcanic mound formed and became attached to the first. This is how the Piton de la Fournaise (Furnace Peak), measuring 2,632m, was formed. It is still active today and regularly erupts, offering a spectacle all the more enchanting as you can safely approach lava flows and fountains.
Today, at the centre of the island are three gigantic basins: Mafate, Cilaos and Salazie.
Resulting from enormous collapses, these basins are open to the sea via narrow passages. They constitute one of the island’s major attractions. Surrounded by walking paths, they offer nature lovers a spectacle of wooded gorges and extraordinary waterfalls.
The coastal plains are narrow, the slopes rising rapidly. The coral has not yet created a barrier all around the island to form a vast lagoon, but in time it will. The coral forms a discontinuous reef of about 15 kilometres (10 miles) to the west and south of the island.
Beyond the smooth turquoise waters and white sandy shoreline, the reef rapidly gives way to the great depths, just as it happens near the majestic basalt cliffs.
Reunion’s wild, rugged terrain makes for fascinating exploration.
Reunion Festival
Climate
Reunion’s climate is tropical. Temperatures are affected by elevation. The average coastal temperature is between 64°F and 88°F (18°C to 31°C), with temperatures dropping in the interior. Humidity is high.
The island has two seasons: summer and winter. November to April is hot and rainy, while May to October is usually dry and cool and is the popular time for travel to Réunion. The cyclone season runs from mid-November to mid-April and the island is occasionally affected.
Like the rest of Reunion, Saint Denis has a tropical climate. Temperatures in the capital range between 70°F and 79°F (21°C to 26°C). November to April is hot and rainy, while the rest of the year is slightly cooler and drier. Humidity is high, particularly on the east coast. Saint-Denis is home to the Indian Ocean’s only tropical cyclone monitoring centre, although the island itself is only affected occasionally.
A blue and green island
Because of this steep terrain, human activities take place at the coast, where the following principal towns are situated: Saint Denis, the administrative centre; Saint Paul, the first “capital”; and Saint Pierre, the most southerly town. The beautiful Creole architecture that characterises these towns has been well preserved.
On the shore, at Saint Gilles and Saint Leu, as well as at l’Etang-Salé, a breeze blows all year long. The high basins and plains are typically rural and populated with well-kept cabins, fields hugging the slopes and pastures dotted with herds. Sugarcane forms a green belt around the island, only interrupted in the southeast by the imposing dome of the volcano.
The rugged terrain doesn’t leave much room for agriculture. The volcanic mountain, carpeted with vegetation and waterfalls, reigns supreme.
The original forest is still visible at Bébour-Bélouve, in the Plaine-des-Palmistes region, or at Mare-Longue, near Saint Philippe. A unique species of tree, the “Tamarin des Hauts”, grows in the high-lying woods.
Hence, Reunion offers a diverse landscape of lush vegetation and rocky terrain, as well as beaches, tropical heat and fresh mountain air.
Reunion Cirque Salazie
A celebration of nature
Reunion’s inhabitants value their island’s plant life. Whether you’re a botanist, an amateur gardener or a plant lover, Reunion’s flora will inspire you. In this tiny land lost in the middle of a vast ocean, indigenous plants abound on the coast and in the high-lying forests.
Man’s arrival in Reunion introduced alien plant species to the island. Today, for instance, palm trees from around the world stand alongside the native Bourbon latanier palm.
Reunion’s fauna consist of sea and air creatures. The elegant Tropicbird is the national bird; it nests in the cliffs near the ocean. The Papangue is a bird of prey that circles around the basins and ravines, while Java deer frolic about in the forests.
The ocean teems with life even close to the shore. The reef “slope” provides a habitat for both coral and the sea creatures and plants. Beyond the reef starts the kingdom of large migratory fish such Blue Marlin, Common Dolphinfish, Sailfish, Tuna, Barracuda and a host of fish that are caught for commercial purposes.
Language
With its history of explorers from various continents, the original inhabitants were hard-pressed to communicate. In order to understand one another, the then colony forged a vernacular language: Creole, derived from Old French and spiced up with words from Malagasy, Hindi and Tamali.
Although Creole is still spoken today, the official language is French, spoken by the vast majority of the population.
Religion and customs
Despite their historical attachment to France, Reunion’s citizens remain proud of their respective roots. Muslims, Catholics and Hindus live alongside one another and religion forms a large part of life for these islanders.
In the towns, the calls of the muezzin often answer the bells of the churches, while incense burns under the impassive eye of Buddha.
Some descendants of slaves still perpetuate the “Malagasy service”, a rite of homage to their ancestors.
Even though Catholicism is the most practised faith, the Hindu community gives the island its most remarkable customs. Hinduism shows its colours on the façades of the island’s many temples. In October and November, Deepavali, the “festival of lights”, draws thousands of faithful. In addition processions and spectacular “fire walking” are organised to the rhythm of an ancient calendar.
Maloya, a moving hybrid of blues music, originated from the island’s slaves, while Sega music reflects both European and African influences.
In Reunion, the expression of culture is a reflection of its inhabitants: everyone is free to commemorate and celebrate their customs.
Gastronomy as a Creole way of life
The island’s cuisine is as diverse as its population. No dish has kept its original flavour, thanks to influences from Bourbonese, French, Indian and Chinese recipes.
The two dishes every visitor should taste are Lamb Masala, an Indian recipe, and curry. Curry is the major local speciality. It takes the form of a meat, fish or shellfish stew prepared with garlic, onions, ginger, cloves, turmeric and other local spices. Curries are served with white rice and “grains” such as beans, broad beans or lentils, topped with a spicy condiment made from tomatoes, lemon and pistachios called rougail.
However, sausage rougail is a smoked sausage curry: nothing to do with the condiment. The same goes for smoked rougail, which is a smoked pork curry.
In the Creole culture, it is very important to eat well. Cooking remains an art, and secrets are passed from mother to daughter across the generations.
In the old days, rice was the main course. Although rice remains an integral part of traditional cuisine, it is now the accompanying food that’s the focus.
Craftsmanship
Over the years, craftsmanship has increased in popularity, mainly due to increased tourism to the island. Besides the typical tourist souvenirs like T-shirts, books, food products like vanilla, DVDs and CDs, some items made in Reunion are quite rare. Examples of these include items made from tortoise-shell (jewellery, lacquered boxes and boxes with tortoise-shell inlay) and fish skin (shagreen). You will also find objects made from woven vegetable fibres.
In your suitcase
Bring light cotton clothes (preferably white). Trousers and long-sleeved shirts are recommended as this will reduce the area of skin exposed to mosquito bites.
Take a good pair of walking shoes.
Don’t forget your swimming costume, a hat and sunglasses.
Dress codes: casual by day, smart-casual by night.
Health
The water can be drunk everywhere.
There is no special danger with respect to fruit or vegetables in Reunion.
Bring anti-fever medicine based on Paracetemol.
Wear sunscreen with a high SPF and quality sunglasses.
Long clothing (especially at the start and end of the day) is essential, preferably in white as this colour tends to repel the virus-carrying Aedes mosquito.
Use repellants on exposed areas of the skin.
La Possession
At the foot of the North Cliff, ensconced between the communes of Saint Denis and Le Port, La Possession was once the place people had to pass through to get from the north to the south of the island.
Mountains and the ocean seem to surround La Possession in an impregnable grip. Today, thanks to better transport links, La Possession is home to most people working in the North and South of the island.
La Possession has hidden spots of beauty that explorers have discovered over time. They include Roche Vert-Bouteille, Dos-d’Ane, Roche-Ecrite, Mafate, and Ilet-à-Malheur.
In addition, visitors will find a beautiful wild coastline and other beaches at Grand Anse and Manapany, further south of the town. The town opens up to the mountain more gradually than at Saint-Denis. The rise to the green hinterland of Tampon, Entre-Deux or Hauts de Petite Ile is less spectacular.
The greatest appeal of the South lies in its wild coastline (from Grand Bois to Tremblet) and its forests (Saint Philippe, Mare-Longue, Basse-Vallée). The Heights are also breathtakingly beautiful, thanks to its flower-covered slopes that stretch from Tampon to Hauts de Saint Joseph.
Petite Ile is a charming village, so named for being the only small island around Reunion’s coast. Grand Anse is a wild beach different from those in the West. Saint Joseph is a typical farming village, while the entire Saint Philippe coastline takes the form of a huge cliff face pounded by the sea.
After the little town of Saint Philippe, the National Road crosses the Grand Brûlé, while has been characterised by successive lava flows since the beginning of time. There are no houses for about 30km.
Saint Denis
Saint Denis was the second town founded in Reunion, after Saint Paul. In the mid-17th century, the site of the future Saint Denis was just a wild corner where a fort was due to be built. Originally, there stood a few grass huts around a flagpole intended to guide seamen. Etienne Regnault, who brought the first 20 French people to the island in 1665, wanted to develop this northern region. Regnault did not have the time to carry out his plans. They were taken over by Mahé de Labourdonnais who, in 1735, made Saint Denis his Bourbon capital and administrative centre.
Saint Denis became a town in 1689. By the end of the 19th century, schools, roads, culture and industry were thriving here.
