Reunion IslandPresentation

GeographyReunion is a French small tropical island. Born 3 million years ago, this 2512 square meters island was shaped by the mountainsand volcanoes: thanks to the Piton de la Fournaise, it continues to grow steadily. The second volcano, that is not active anymoreis the Piton des neiges, the highest point of the island at 3069 m. Three large cirques were eroded: Salazie, Mafate and Cilaos.Located in the Indian Ocean at 55 °3 east longitude and 21°5 South latitude, above the Tropic of Capricorn, Reunion island is210 km away from Mauritius, 800 km from Madagascar and 9300 km from Paris. Its capital is Saint-Denis and the mainlanguages are French and Creole.

HistoryReunion Island has a very recent history. The Arabs discovered it on the 11th century but thought it wasn’t worth it since theisland was too difficult to access.During the colonization, the Westerners conquered this island time after time, starting from the 17th century.Reunion culture comes essentially from slaves who populated the island and from the melting pot that came from thispopulation. The result is music like Sega or Maloya and a spoken language called the Creole, from the mix of many countries ...

ClimateReunion has a tropical climate softens by the trade winds. Each year is divided into two seasons: the dry and cool season lastsfrom May to October and from June to August, there is a 'winter "that has only the name, except in the heights. This is theperfect time for walking and hiking. From November to April, there is the hot and humid season that is responsible of two-thirds of annual rainfall, which explains how beautiful the waterfalls are during this season.

PopulationEmpty when the Westerners discovered it, the island is now a mix of original population, a true Métis cocktail of cultural wealthand lifestyle Creole and has 830,000 inhabitants. The largest community is the Creole (40%), descendants of the oldestestablished family on the island. The other communities are from the Indian subcontinent, China or Africa, or from mainlandFrance.

WildlifeReunion Island has a native and endemic fauna. The few specific and remarkable animals of this island have disappeared, as the“Solitaire de Bourbon” and the endemic parrots. Despite the steep relief that protects the habitat of local wildlife fromurbanization, a large number of insects, birds, reptiles, and small mammals is in jeopardy.

FloraThe colonization and the import and spread of more than 1,500 species of exotic plants have put in jeopardy the flora of thisisland. However, a recent protecting policy helps to protect the original vegetation of the island remaining in the forests.Reunion is a hot spot of biodiversity identified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

National ParkHow to explain the success of this island? By its cirques, peaks, ramparts and its 500 km of hiking trails. The landscape isvaried: on the same day, you can go through the lush rainforest to a moonscape without any vegetation. The «!Volcan de laFournaise!» is a must with an average of 2-3 eruptions per year.In 2007, a National Park was created in the heart of the island to preserve this richness and biodiversity.

UNESCO World HeritageSince 2010, the Pitons, cirques and ramparts of the island are listed as World Heritage by UNESCO : the Piton des neiges, thePiton de la fournaise, the cirque of Mafate, the ramparts that embrace the heart of the island, the Piton Anchain in Salazie,Piton de Sucre and the Chapel in Cilaos, the Grande Chaloupe, Mare Longue were classified. The background of Salazie andCilaos, Plain palm can also be added to this list as buffer zones.The protected area represents mostly the National Park, namely 40% (105 km2) of the area of the island.

Piton des Neiges & Piton de la Fournaise

The Reunion island has two volcanoes: the Piton des Neiges is extinct and the Piton de la Fournaise still active.The Piton de la Fournaise is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. It is one of two volcanoes (with the Hawaii’s one)where lava can reach the sea and lead to the meeting of these two forces of nature. The Volcan de la Fournaise is a shieldvolcano. Its eruptions are projections of lava fountains that turn into rivers of lava more or less viscous.2000 : The Piton de la Fournaise became active three times for a total period of 80 days2001 : The Piton de la Fournaise erupted twice for a month of activity2002 : The Piton de la Fournaise erupted twice for a month of activity again2003 : The Piton de la Fournaise was active 4 times for 40 days of activity2004 : The Piton de la Fournaise woke up 3 times for 78 days of eruption2005 : The Piton de la Fournaise offered us four eruptions for a month and a half of activity2006: The Piton de la Fournaise had two eruptions within the year for 175 days of activity2007: The Piton de la Fournaise erupted three times for 30 days of activity. The third eruption was the most outstanding everseen since with the crater Dolomieu collapsed over 300 meters high2008 : The Piton de la Fournaise erupted twice2009 : The Piton de la Fournaise erupted three times (February, November and December)2010 : There were three eruptions (January 02-12, October 14-31 and December 9). The last eruption occurred Dec. 9, 2010..

ActivitiesIf you like thrills and you want to discover the landscapes of the island not only with hiking, you can do hang-gliding, paragliding,climbing, canoeing ... amidst unspoilt nature. Concerning the sea, you can do game-fishing, as well as underwater diving where youwill discover magnificent waterscapes.

CultureReunion, as its name suggests, is a mosaic of all cultures living in harmony. They make this island an unusual place full of culturaland culinary richness. During the same walk, you will discover a pagoda, a mosque, a Tamil temple or a church.

EconomyThe economy is based mainly on public investment, provider growth. The commercial sector and construction hire and boastother sectors (business services, transport of goods, manufacturing, mining...).

FoodReunion cuisine consists mainly of rice, beans, carry and rougail. All that was previously cooked on a wood fire, but today we use"classic" means. However, lot of reunionese people still cook their carry on wood fire because it provides a better taste.

Requirement for gettong inFor citizens from France or within European Union: you’ll need a valid ID or passport.For others: Valid passport, visa if needed and a ticket proving your return or next destination.

HealthFor passengers coming from endemic countries, you’ll need to be vaccinated against yellow fever and cholera; otherwise therearen’t mandatory vaccines. There is no malaria in this island.Bring mosquito repellents and sunscreen.

Airline departureRegular flights from Paris but also South Africa, Mauritius, India, Madagascar and Thailand.

Jet lagGMT + 4:00

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