Reunion Island

Our destinations... Reunion Island Mauritius Island Beijing - China

Your Travel Guide

Reunion Island

The Districts: Saint-Denis

Saint-Denis is the “capital” of Réunion Island and the biggest French town outside of mainland France thanks to its 140000 inhabitants.
Like every French prefecture, Saint-Denis is an administrative hub (Conseil Général, Conseil Régional, Chambre de Commerce...). However it is a very nice town to live in and to be visited.
Saint-Denis was founded in 1669 by Etienne Régnault. Being more accessible for boats than Saint-Paul, it became the capital of the island in 1738 by order of Governor Mahé de Labourdonnais.
Architect Banks drew up the town plans in 1770 and only in 1790 did Saint-Denis become a “commune” (at that time, there were about 7000 inhabitants).
A lot of old colonial houses can be found in the city : some of them have been magnificently renovated and others have been abandoned. Most of them lie near the rue Maréchal Leclerc.
Inhabitants of Saint-Denis are called “Dionysiens”.

To see

Le Barachois

On the seashore, this park seems made for children and lovers. A few old cannons can be seen here. Along the Barachois, there are several lovely bars and a statue of Roland Garros (a famous aviator born in Saint-Denis in 1888).

Le Jardin de l'Etat

This garden is one of the favourite spots of Dionysiens. It was created in 1767. It is a place dedicated to walking and relaxation. Many tropical plants and the natural history museum can be found here. Opening hours : 7 am to 7 pm

Cases créoles

Saint-Denis is famous for its old colonial houses. Most of them are situated in rue de Paris, rue Pasteur and rue Roland-Garros.

The house lying at N°15, rue de Paris, dating back to the eighteenth century, is where the politician Raymond Barre was born.

Markets

There are two markets in Saint-Denis. The Grand Marché, situated at the corner of rue Maréchal Leclerc and rue Gasparin, displays fruits, vegetables and mainly Malagasy handicraft. Opening hours : 6 am to 6 pm. The Petit Marché, on the corner of rue Maréchal Leclerc and rue de l’Océan provides you with fruits, vegetables and meat.

Links
  /lang-FR-page-1243-2V-page,Un-Grand-Marche-tres-colore.html

Happenings

Infos & Projects

Saint-Denis Mayor : Gilbert ANNETTE
Town Hall tel : 0262 40 04 04
Town Hall address : 14 rue de Paris 97400 Saint-Denis
Postal code : 97400

Surface Area : 14279 hectares
Population: 133700 inhabitants

In Focus

- The Bowling City
- A photography exhibition in Saint-Denis
- “Art et Lumière” gallery: an intercultural space
- A self-discovery
- Paintball : a trendy activity
- The motocross championship has started
- The light of Islam
- Enjoy a stroll along the coast of Saint-Denis
- A museum featuring thousand of histories
- Chinese New Year
- The skateboarding: a trendy sport
- A very colourful market
- The first museum in Réunion island
- What are the activities of Karl Ramassamy?
- When “eating well” rhymes with light meal
- The fabulous garden of Cinderella
- The National Park, a candidate at the UNESCO
- “Le Massalé” restaurant
-
- Reflet des îles: Traditional Cuisine
- Territorial Continuity: helping the residents of Reunion Island to go to Mainland France
- Avoid missing your morning flight: spend a night at Saint Denis on the eve
- Improve your English while gossiping and having a drink

In this region...

- Rent a Car
- Book an Hotel
- Book an Inn
- Find a Restaurant

Useful Information

Northern Intermunicipal Tourist Office (in Saint-Denis)
Monday to Saturday: 9am to 6pm
Tel. : 02.62.41.83.00
Yellow Pages : Click here
To go to the town centre from the airport, you should reckon on 4€ by bus and 15€ by taxi.
For tourist information go to the CTR (Comité du Tourisme de la Réunion).

Activities

Saint-Denis has a lot of sports facilities : swimming pools, tennis courts, golf course…

Where to go out
Bars (those of the Barachois are very popular), places where you can dance, a casino, cinemas, museu
Fourcade theatre (41.86.12) offers performances of local companies and artists.