Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
mountains and explore the glorious hinterland and its bucolic offerings - think sugar-cane
fields, lush orchards, geranium plantations and cryptomeria forests swathing the slopes of
the mountains, studded with character-filled villages that retain a palpable rural air.
With the exception of St-Louis and the Hauts (Hills), this region is predominantly Zor-
eilles (mainland French) territory and feels closer to France than South Africa. Brush up
on your French!
WORTH A TRIP
DOS D'ANE
After braving St-Denis' busy streets and before tackling the seaside resorts further south, a drive up to the isol-
ated village of Dos d'Ane, in the hills above Le Port (take the D1), will give you a breath of fresh air. It's an ex-
cellent base for
hikes
in the interior; from here you can walk to the Plaine d'Affouches and La Roche Écrite, as
well as into the Cirque de Mafate via the Rivière des Galets route. For a shorter ramble, there are superb views to
be had from the
Cap Noir
kiosk, about 20 minutes from the Cap Noir car park above Dos d'Ane (it's signposted),
or from the
Roche Verre Bouteille
lookout, less than an hour's walk from the car park. It's possible to do a loop
combining the two lookouts (about 1½ hours).
If you like peace, quiet and sigh-inducing views, you'll have few quibbles with
Les Acacias - Chez Axel et
Patricia Nativel
( 0262 32 01 47; Rue Germain Elisabeth, Dos d'Ane; dm €17, d incl breakfast €45) , which
offers two
chambres d'hôtes
and three spick-and-span six-bed dorms. The hearty evening meals (dinner €20) go
down well after a day's tramping and the views from the terrace are stupendous.
TOP OF CHAPTER
St-Paul
POP 20,000
Lively if not jaw-dropping in beauty, Réunion's second-largest
commune
(administrative
district) after St-Denis deserves a quick stop if you're into history. It's also an obvious
transit point if you plan to reach Le Maïdo by public transport.
Sights
Most tourists who do come here visit the bright and well-kept
Cimetière Marin
, the cemetery
at the southern end of town. It contains the remains of various famous Réunionnais, in-
cluding the poet Leconte de Lisle (1818-94) and the pirate Olivier 'La Buse' Levasseur
(The Buzzard), who was the scourge of the Indian Ocean from about 1720 to 1730.
