| Duration: | 3 Day(s) - 2 Night(s) |
| Tour Category: | Culture Tours |
Day 1: Saint Pierre and the History of Réunion Rhum and Coffee
Morning: Welcome at the airport then we will take the superb new road of the Littoral (the most expensive road in the world…) at your accommodation in Saint-Pierre.
Visit the Domaine du Café Grillé which is a 4 hectares of Creole garden. You explore the history of botany on the island of Reunion. More than 800 exotic species mingle, mixing colours and fragrances. You will discover the fruit trees as well as the different aromatic plants of the Reunion. You will also learn about the history of the great cultures of yesteryear. You can even taste the pointed Bourbon coffee!
Visit the Saga du Rhum: It is a must-visit to learn more about the famous rum of the island of Reunion. At the Isautier Distillery Museum, the oldest on the island, you will dive into the history of collecting sugar cane. You will see a sugar cane grinding mill, dating from the 1940s. Then you will take a little tour of the distillery to sharpen your senses. Naturally, a tasting is organized on-site!
At the end of the afternoon, we'll enjoy a swim in the Saint Pierre lagoon as the sun sets.
In the evening: Pat's Jaune Cabaret Show: Pat'Jaune is a group of musicians giving a cabaret show around a good meal. They called "Petits Blancs des Hauts" or Youl, or "Pat'Jaune", the inhabitants of the highlands of Reunion Island. This last Creole expression comes from the colouring of farmers' feet after their work in saffron fields (turmeric). The Pat'Jaune cabaret is a very good opportunity to appreciate the Creole art of living, literally and figuratively! Laughter is guaranteed for young and old!
Night in a gîte or hotel in Saint Pierre
Day 2: Hell-Bourg, Authentic Creole Village in the Cirque de Salazie
Before leaving Saint-Pierre we will visit the Tamil Narassingua Perournal Temple: Originally, this temple was a simple wooden chapel, built around 1860. It was not until 1972 that the present temple emerged from the earth. Hinduism is the second most practised religion on the island. The architecture of the temple is splendid, with its thousands of sculpted statues. It is possible to visit the interior, but only on Wednesdays from 3 pm to 4 pm. Remember to cover your shoulders.
Then we'll head for the Cirque de Salazie jusqu’à Hell-Bourg.
Visit "Maison Folio", also called Villa Folio, and its garden was taken over and restored by the Folio family.
The visit to this house represents a real journey in time, at the time when the big Creole families of the island left the warmth of the coast to rest in the coolness of the Hauts in charming little Creole boxes with refined style.
The garden symbolizes « the Creole art of living » with its guétali, fountain and paved paths of old stone. Strolling there takes you on a journey of exotic scents, among perfumed, aromatic and medicinal plants: geranium, vetiver, patchouli, turmeric, lemongrass, four-spice…
One of the outbuildings now houses a small exhibition of traditional period objects and local crafts.
Visit of Museum of Indian Ocean Music and Instruments: in the Maison Morange in the heart of the village, we'll discover a collection of over 1,500 instruments. Thanks to a fun musical and visual tour, we'll learn more about the use of these popular, precious and sometimes unusual instruments.
As we visit the "themed" areas (in Africa, India, China and Madagascar) and enjoy sound and multimedia experiences, we'll be travelling through Reunion's culture while listening to the sounds of the peoples of the Indian Ocean!
Nuit en gîte à Hell Bourg
Day 3: From the Hindu temples of Saint André to the Neighbourhoods of Saint-Denis
Tamil Temples of Saint-André: we'll start our visit at the temple of Petit Bazar which is huge and colourful, full of sculptures, paintings and typical objects.
We Continue to the Colosse Temple: All the Indian Deities are represented on the Colourful Façade of this Temple: Agni, Shiva, Ganesh...
On our way to Saint-Denis, we'll stop off at the Niagara Waterfall near Sainte Suzanne.
At 25 metres high, the Niagara Waterfall is a spectacular sight. It is at the heart of a fully landscaped site. You can even fish or swim in the wide, shallow pool at the foot of the waterfall. It's a heavenly spot just a few minutes from Sainte-Suzanne town centre, at the end of the sugar cane field.
We'll round off our cultural tour of the island at Saint-Denis with a visit to the Jardin de l'état, home to the Musée d’Histoire Naturelle.
Then we'll stroll through some lively streets, including Le Barachois, Rue de Paris and the Cathédrale Quarter.
Before transferring to the airport, we'll make a diversion to the Grand Marché to pick up a few souvenirs of Réunion Island.
