Reunion Island
A little cycling and a lot of walking on this annual journey, this time in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
From Saint-Pierre to Saint-Philippe
26 mai
A short ride under a beautiful sun. I leave the house in Saint-Pierre to begin a tour of the island. It would only be 42 km to my lodging in Saint-Philippe, but I’m adding a few stops to extend the route.
First, Manapamy, and next to it, Ti Sable, a black-sand beach. Personally, I don’t think it’s any blacker than the one at Etang Salé les Bains. I have a hard time getting the shot I want because a couple of tourists in garish clothes are taking up all the space on this tiny beach. And in (…)
Cilaos
24 mai
We set off early Sunday morning for Cilaos. We drove up the road with its 200 hairpin turns, with still very little traffic. A little later, the road was closed due to an accident in a tunnel.
Cilaos, a cute little village. We stock up on sandwiches at the village’s very friendly bakery, grab a coffee, and set off on our planned loop : “The Loop and the Bras Rouge Waterfall from Cilaos.” We’ll shorten the loop a bit to take a shortcut via the road and get back to the car faster.
A very (…)
To the Garden of Flavors and Spices, then the Saint-Pierre Market
21 mai
On Thursday morning, I’m heading to the Jardin des Saveurs et des Épices. It’s about 40 kilometers to the garden, and I’m trying to get there quickly so I’ll be on time for the guided tour. The tour has just started, so I join in along the way. This garden is an agroforestry project, with plantations in the middle of the forest designed to preserve the ecosystem’s balance. The guide introduces a wide variety of plants along two or three paths around the shop. She mixes Creole into her (…)
Saga du Rhum, Kelonia and Stella Matutina
19 mai
Monday and Tuesday were spent on tours. I started on Monday with the Saga du Rhum, just a short walk from where we’re staying. It was an interesting tour where we learned about the history of rum and that of the Isautier family, one of the island’s three major rum-producing families. The two brothers who founded the distillery married the daughters of two landowners in order to acquire their land. They quickly specialized in producing flavored rums. If I recall correctly, the production of (…)
Saint-Pierre - Oratoire SteThérèse - The volcano
14 mai
We drove up to Piton de la Fournaise. We arrived in the late afternoon at the starting point of a short hike to the Oratoire Sainte-Thérèse. It was a fairly short walk that gave us time to wait for the sunset. We had a magnificent view of Piton des Neiges rising above the clouds. Then we made our way back down as twilight fell. After dark, we pitch our tent next to the car in the Pas de Bellecombe parking lot. We eat in the cold. Then we go to bed early. Even though we’re well-wrapped up, (…)
From Saint-Denis to Saint-Pierre.
11 mai
A bike ride along the coast. At first, all the way to the Port, there’s nothing particularly glamorous about the new coastal road running right along the ocean. But from Saint-Denis to La Grande Chaloupe, at least I have the wind at my back and I’m making good time. Then at La Grande Chaloupe, the wind shifts direction, which apparently is the usual pattern.
The beach road is closed at Boucan Canot, but the bike path is open. As I pass by, I admire the work of the workers clinging to the (…)
Mafate Cirque
9 mai
A hike through the Mafate cirque that I had planned to do later in my trip. It’s said to be difficult, and I’m not sure I’m up to the challenge. With a group of Fabienne’s friends, we set out on this two-day hike, a loop that follows the Scouts Trail and the Augustave Trail. We start with the Augustave Trail, which is less frequently used.
In fact, the Augustave Trail is shorter but also more difficult. And it starts raining fairly early on, which makes the hike harder and the trails more (…)
Saint-Denis - Bassin Chouchou
7 mai
A short loop from Saint-Denis to the Chouchou Reservoir. Along the way, I picked up a few items to round out my mountain gear.
The climb felt harder than the day before. On this little road, the gradients are pretty steep, often between 9 and 13%.
I couldn’t find the entrance to Bassin Chouchou. It was supposed to be hard to get to ^^
I took a break in the shade at a spot with a table and benches. When I set off again, there was a short climb that my bike computer showed as 20% ! Phew, it (…)
Loop Saint-Denis - La Montagne - La Possession
6 mai
On Wednesday, I went for a ride with Michel, a local cyclist whose contact info I got from Maya, a friend from my cycling club who’s from Réunion. We meet at the Redoute Stadium, at the foot of the climb up to La Montagne. The road climbs steeply right from the start, with a bit of traffic despite the holidays. Michel waits for me, stopping to tell me stories, especially about the houses we pass that have breathtaking views of the ocean but had their roofs torn off by cyclones. When we (…)
Reunion Island - Saint-Denis - Sainte-Suzanne
5 mai
This year, our travel destination was decided when I found out about Fabienne’s surprise transfer to Réunion. So it was now or never to go.
So it won’t just be cycling, but also plenty of hiking in places you can only explore on foot.
After a somewhat long but uneventful trip, Fabi picks me up at the airport. After a quick coffee, we head to watch the start of the May Day parade in Le Port, then explore the beach in Saint-Gilles. I didn’t get much sleep on the plane, so a quick nap is in (…)