Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Notre-Dame de la Salette
(St Leu)
The little white chapel of Notre-Dame de la Salette, perched on the side of the hill
to the east of town, was built in 1859 as a plea for protection against the cholera epidemic
sweeping the entire island. Whether by luck or divine intervention, St-Leu was spared
from the epidemic, and thousands of pilgrims come here each year on 19 September to of-
fer their thanks.
CHURCH
Musée du Sel & La Caverne
( 0262 34 67 00; Pointe au Sel; 9am-noon & 1.30-5pm Tue-Fri)
On the cliffs at Pointe au
Sel, between St-Leu and Étang-Salé-les-Bains, this museum, housed in an old salt ware-
house, traces the local salt-harvesting history. It's flanked by salt evaporation ponds. After
visiting the museum, follow the path that leads to
La Caverne
(no sign), a large, wonderful
rock pool with turquoise waters only known to locals. It's ideal for splashing about, sun-
bathing or picnicking.
MUSEUM
Beaches
St-Leu's beach is a very good stretch of sand that's particularly popular with locals; it
comes to life on weekends with loud music and smells of
carri
cooking.
Activities
Diving
The dive spots off Pointe au Sel to the south of St-Leu offer some of the best underwater
landscapes in Réunion, while the lagoon closer to St-Leu is good for coral. See
Click here
for more details on dive sites.
Abyss Plongée
( 0262 34 79 79;
www.abyss-plongee.com
; 17 Blvd Bonnier; daily)
This reputable outfit has a full
menu of reef and wreck dives (from €35) and runs certification courses. An introductory
dive costs €62.
DIVING
Bleu Océan
DIVING
