Reunion Island, "intense": the word has not changed and remains engraved in the memories of everyone. Between sea and mountain, between lagoon and volcano, between forest teeming with life and cosmopolitan city, this small paradise has not finished enchanting us. We come here and we come back, because the island does not reveal all its secrets in two weeks. Each period of the year has its own surprises: from guava trees to whales and their babies during the southern winter, canyoning and rafting in the Porpoise River in summer, eruptions of the Piton de la Fournaise when you don't expect them. But finally, what could be better in this (very) cool period than to offer yourself a New Year's Eve with your feet in the sand, while the mercury is close to 30°C and the party is in full swing at the other end of the world?
In Reunion Island, a bright nature
29°C in the air, as much in the water, exuberant vegetation on all sides: a real Garden of Eden, it is not surprising that Reunion and its tropical climate were the paradise of the first explorers. However, the current landscape of the island has been shaped by men who have planted the vast majority of the fruits that can be found on the market stalls. Coconut palms and filaos waving under the trade winds, orchards full of mangoes and letchis, cascades of jacarandas and frangipani trees perfuming the atmosphere and coloring the green carpets of the valleys... It is a real explosion of colors and scents that takes place at every moment. But if the fine sand of the western beaches and the multicolored fish and coral seabed make it an ideal seaside destination, the "intense island" cannot be satisfied with this simple tropical setting. Apart from the snow and the glaciers (although...), these southern lands gather almost all the landscapes and climates that nature could create. It is in the interior, in the secrecy of its lands, that Reunion reveals itself in all its splendor: with its rugged mountains, the highest in the Indian Ocean, its primary forests, its endemic fauna and flora with no dangerous species, its pebbled rivers, its deep ravines, its lunar plains.
The paradise of hiking
Reunion Island is best enjoyed on foot. Because it is by hiking that one goes back in time, that one rubs shoulders with the traditions and that one discovers an art of living in constant relation with nature. Three cirques, Salazie, Cilaos and Mafate, are enclosed in the heart of the island. With their waterfalls nestled in rugged terrain, their lush ramparts, their mountain villages and their miles of hiking trails, they are classified as World Heritage by UNESCO. Many hamlets (called "îlets") are accessible only by foot. In the center of the cirques, the Piton des Neiges, the highest peak in the Indian Ocean, offers a breathtaking view. Around it, savannah, marshes, cliffs, pitons and fields stretch as far as the eye can see, while on the outskirts of the Piton de la Fournaise, the sandy and desert immensities take over. The volcano, one of the most active in the world, delivers its breathtaking fireworks, incandescent eruption from the bowels of the earth, about once a year. The last time this grandiose spectacle took place was in September and October 2022. Crisscrossed by trails of varying length and difficulty, the whole island is a magnificent playground for hikers, whether they are Sunday walkers or almost professional trekkers. More than 1,000 km of paths maintained by the ONF stretch out under your feet: it would be a shame not to take advantage of them. Before leaving for a hike, remember to visit the ONF website to find out the state of the trails.
A mixed people and a rich and lively culture
This will also be the opportunity to discover the Reunionese people and their very rich culture. The island, deserted until 1649, will start to be populated only in 1665 with the arrival of the first governor Etienne Regnault. Reunion Island has thus forged its identity on the migratory flows that have punctuated its history. Here live Cafres (descendants of African slaves), Malbars, Tamils and Zarabs (originally from India), Gros Blancs (descendants of white settlers) and Petits Blancs (or Yabs, descendants of the many whites ruined by the hazards of history), Zoreilles (from metropolitan France), Chinese, Mauritians, Comorians, Mahorais and Malagasies. Born in the pain of slavery, united today by creolity, the Reunionese society, fraternal and warm, is an example of tolerance for the whole world. More mixed than mixed, at the same time Creole, secular and religious, the population is not subjected to the domination of any ethnic group, whether numerically, culturally or politically. Far from being uprooted, the Reunionnese coax their common identity while remaining faithful to the traditions of each community. Here, differences rarely cause disputes. Feeling above all Reunionese, the inhabitants of the island compose a plural and harmonious society. As a proof, it is enough to admire the innumerable Hindu, Buddhist and Taoist temples, the Christian churches, or the mosques which are scattered all over the island, perpetuating the rites of each one. Thus, in Saint-Denis or Saint-Pierre, in the city center, it is not uncommon to hear the muezzin, the church bells and the malbars drums collide! Don't miss to visit the beautiful traditional houses (Creole huts) of the great plantations of yesteryear, the historical monuments inherited from the East India Company or the rum distilleries. Enjoy a varied gastronomy and an authentically Creole culture, which cheerfully mixes curry (the reference dish), rougail, gratin chouchous, jujube pie, and even cheeses and local wines! Indian, European, Chinese, Malagasy and American culinary inspirations are also found in the music and dance. Join a kabar (a large convivial party) and dance the sega or the maloya. Reunion's cultural life, in addition to being traditionally rich and dynamic, is largely subsidized by the Department, the Region and the State, which guarantees quality museums, well-maintained historical monuments, the promotion of quality gastronomy and varied shows.
Have a good year!
And what about the end of year and New Year's festivities? With your feet in the sand and sun cream at hand, New Year's Eve promises to be unlike any other, although it is obviously also the occasion for big parties, especially in the beach area, where many people get together to organize their own parties. Enchanting evenings where lanterns come to embellish the Reunionese sky. With a multitude of stars in addition, here is a passage in 2023 that we will not forget soon. And happy new year!
Smart info
When is it open? During the high season, from December to April, a few cyclones may disrupt your schedule, but you can enjoy the delicious local fruits without moderation: mangoes, litchis and other longanis, and above all, treat yourself to a dream New Year.
Getting there. The price of a round trip flight varies between 700 and 1 600 € depending on the season. Count 11 hours of flight between Paris and Saint-Denis.
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