Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SURVIVAL GUIDE
Directory A-Z
ACCOMMODATION
While accommodation in Réunion might not reach the stellar heights of Mauritius and the
Seychelles, there is still plenty of choice. The smarter hotels tend to be concentrated around
the coast and in the attractive mountain towns of Cilaos and Hell-Bourg.
In the midrange bracket, there's a smattering of small family hotels and lots of
chambres
d'hôtes
(B&Bs), the best of which offer good value for money. Budget travellers will find it
hard to keep costs down in St-Denis and the coastal towns around St-Gilles-les-Bains, but
elsewhere
gîtes
and the cheaper
chambres d'hôtes
fit the bill.
It is wise to book well in advance, particularly in high season (the mainland France and
local school holidays, particularly July, August and from mid-December to mid-January),
when the best places fill up weeks, if not months, ahead. If you're planning a hiking trip in
September or October, it's also imperative to book
gîtes de montagne
as early as possible,
as these months are the busiest and there's only a limited number of places available.
Each year, the
Centrale d'Information et de Réservation Régionale - Île de la Réunion Tourisme
(
www.reunion.fr
)
features updated listings of B&Bs, camp sites,
gîtes d'étapes
and hotels. On-
line listings are also available at
www.abritel.fr
,
www.lareuniondecouverte.com
,
PRACTICALITIES
»
Electricity
220V, 50Hz AC; plugs have two round pins.
»
Newspapers
Daily regional newspapers include
Journal de l'Île de la Réunion
(
www.clicanoo.re
)
and
Le Quoti-
dien
(
www.lequotidien.re
)
, both good for features and events listings.
»
Radio
Tune in to
Réunion 1re
(
www.reunion.la
1ere.fr/radio) ,
Kreol FM
(
www.radiokreol.com
) or
Radio Free
Dom
(
www.freedom.fr
)
for local news (in French and Creole).
»
TV
One government channel, Réunion 1re, as well as the independent Antenne Réunion and Canal + Réunion;
most programming comes from mainland France.
»
Weights & Measures
Metric.
Camping
