Mauritius - St Louis

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St-Louis is essentially a residential and industrial town. Despite all the new buildings there, it has retained much of its Creole character and it is one of the few places where you may see bullock carts used, particularly during the sugarcane harvest.

The Chapelle du Rosaire here was built in 1732 by Barbe Payet and is the oldest religious building on the island. The chapel is signed from the south of the town and reached via Rue de la Chapelle.

St-Louis is the gateway to the Cirque de Cilaos, with buses leaving from the station at the southern end of town. Inland from St-Louis, Entre-Deux (‘between two’) is so named because it lies between two rivers, which join and become Rivière Ste-Etienne. It is a pretty village and is one of the best places to see colourful Creole houses and gardens. There is some good hiking here, including up Le Dimitile (1,837m) for views over the Cirque de Cilaos Tours by 4x4 also climb Le Dimitile.

About an hour’s drive inland from St-Louis, nestled in alpine scenery, is the village of Les Makes. It stands at 1,200m and is home to the Indian Ocean’s only Observatory (see What to see in Southern Réunion, page 313). Around 10km beyond Les Makes is La Fenêtre (The Window), a spectacular viewpoint over the Cirque de Cilaos and a lovely spot for a picnic.

St-Louis is surrounded by fields of sugarcane. The Gol Sugar Refinery (Sucrerie du Gol), which can be seen from the main road to Etang-Salé, was one of the island’s first, built in 1816. It is still operational and guided tours are available during harvest season (see What to see in Southern Réunion, page 313).

Opposite the sugar refinery is one of the island’s few identified slave cemeteries, Le Cimtière du Père Lafosse. Père Lafosse was a priest, an abolitionist and Mayor of St-Louis. He is buried in the cemetery, along with some of the island’s earliest slaves. His tomb has become a place of pilgrimage, particularly on 20 December, the anniversary of the abolition of slavery.

L’Etang-Salé is the name given to the area encompassing the coastal village of L’Etang-Salé-les-Bains and, slightly inland, L’Etang-Salé-les-Hauts. The two are separated by the large Etang-Salé Forest.

Etang-Salé-les-Bains is largely a residential area, branching outwards from the main street. It has all the essentials: restaurants, shops, a post office and ATM facilities (opposite the Floralys Caro Beach). The vast 5km, black-sand beach is popular with locals and tourists alike, although it is noticeably quieter than the beaches around St-Gilles-les-Bains. There are designated swimming areas but the waves can be pretty powerful. Surfers, body-boarders and windsurfers flock here.

TOURIST INFORMATION The tourist office in Entre-Deux (9 Rue Fortuné Hoareau; % 0262 396980; f 0262 396983; e ot.entredeux[at]wanadoo.fr; ot-entredeux.com; ( 08.00–12.00 & 13.30–17.00 Mon–Sat) organises guided tours of the village and can provide information on hiking in the area.

The tourist office in L’Etang-Salé-les-Bains (% 0892 702201; f 0262 266792; e accueil.etang-sale[at]otisud.re; sud.reunion.fr; ( 09.00–12.00, 13.00–17.00 Mon–Thu, Sat) is in a former railway station at 74 Rue Octave Bénard, the main road through town. They have plenty of literature, including lists of guesthouses and houses to let. Handicrafts are on sale and the staff are helpful.

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Mauritius - St Louis

Mauritius - St Louis

Southern Reunion

Mauritius - St Louis