Reunion Island: natural, supernatural

Programme

Mountain biking, hiking, caving, 4X4 or paragliding: the programme offers an active way to discover Réunion, while taking a gentle approach to the island through encounters with musicians, dancers and storytellers. Plenty to do, plenty to see: the days start early and finish late, but leave plenty of time for well-deserved rest. PROFILE Client: a French company in the photovoltaic sector Reception: Comptoir Corail 12, place des coquillages. 97434 St Gilles les Bains Tel: 0262 33 88 38 - E-mail: comptoircorail@orange.fr Internet: www.comptoircorail.com Group size: around twenty people Duration: 5 days / 4 nights Proposals: motivation

They have researched

Île de La Réunion Tourisme 4, rue Jules Thirel, Bâtiment B. 97460 St-Paul
Tel: 0810 160 000 - E-mail: contact@reunion.fr - Internet: www.reunion.fr

Practical guides

Guide Vert La Réunion, Michelin Guide Évasion Île de La Réunion, Hachette Tourisme

Flight plan

Air Austral, Réunion's flag carrier, offers a daily flight between Paris Charles de Gaulle 2A and Réunion's Roland Garros airport, as well as one or two weekly flights to/from Bordeaux, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes and Toulouse. These flights are operated in three classes: Club Austral - the business class - , Loisirs and Confort. The "plus" of this premium economy class: on the ground, separate check-in and access to the airline's lounges. In-flight, sophisticated catering and 128° reclining seats.

Day 1: Arrival in Saint-Denis and transfer to Saint-Gilles, by the lagoon on the island's west coast. Welcome cocktail and check-in at LUX* Île de La Réunion. Lunch at the hotel, then transfer by bus to the port of Saint-Gilles for a sunset cruise with Sega music. Overnight at the hotel.

Saint Gilles: a postcard port

For an idyllic seaside setting, head for the island's west coast. The nerve centre of the seaside version of Réunion Island is Saint-Gilles, with its narrow shopping streets. The morning starts with a visit to the market, with its mingled scents of vanilla and turmeric. As it should be, the day ends in even more enchanting vapours, lulled by the sound of the séga... But for many visitors, the port of Saint-Gilles is above all the starting point for a sea trip, whatever the purpose. Diving, deep-sea fishing or a simple sunset cruise: the options are numerous. According to Le Quotidien de La Réunion, the current trend is catamaran cruises. The highlight of which is a whale watching trip.

Hotel Le Lux* Reunion Island

Located just a few minutes from the centre of Saint-Gilles, facing the Hermitage lagoon, the LUX* is the only five-star hotel on the island. Formerly known as the "Grand Hôtel du lagon", the hotel has now come under the aegis of LUX* Island Resorts, an innovative player in the upmarket hotel sector in the Indian Ocean. Under the "Island Light" concept, this group is developing hotels designed as "theatres" brought to life by "stage directors". Guests are free to liven up their stay by discovering the hotel and local culture through 58 sketches, ranging from a 'secret bar' hidden in the trees to a film session on the beach or a photo safari guided by an expert. LUX* is anything but a cold seaside palace. And its name should be understood as a Latin promise of 'light', rather than the translation of a firm commitment to the world of luxury. The hotel takes pleasure in guiding its guests as they discover the island, and is also responsible for enlivening the hours they spend on the seven-hectare estate, with its palm trees and wide grassy areas, tennis courts, swimming pool, table tennis, spa and fitness room. When it comes to catering for groups, LUX* offers carefully prepared breakfasts and buffets for lunch and dinner, with an emphasis on local delicacies. In the background: the life of the lagoon. And that's not all. One last thing worth mentioning: WiFi is free throughout the establishment.

L'Hermitage. 28 Rue du lagon. 97434 Saint Gilles Les Bains - Tel : 0 262 700 000
E-mail: reservation@luxislandresorts.com - Internet: luxislandresorts.com

Day 2: Early morning departure by 4X4 with driver-guides for the Salazie cirque, its waterfalls, tropical greenery and deep Creole roots. Picnic lunch and a crash course in maloya. Return and overnight at the hotel.

Salazie: bamboo, watercress and chouchous

A hiker's paradise, home to inspiring landscapes: Salazie is the island's green lung. There's green everywhere on the slopes of the cirque, with watercress, chouchous, ferns and bamboo forests. So there's plenty of green, but there's also red... on the roofs of Creole houses or on the livery of the cardinal, that precious bird that turns red during the mating season... All this nature owes its generosity to the presence of the water that crosses the route, with the waterfalls the main attraction. Two highlights are the imposing Niagara Falls and the "Bridal Veil", an astonishing series of resurgences that cloak the black volcanic cliffs in white mist. The villages also add to the enjoyment of the day, particularly Salazie and Hell-Bourg, ideal playgrounds for treasure hunts. You can explore Salazie in a 4X4, with or without a driver-guide, as the island offers a wide range of vehicle hire options. Alongside the major brands, there is the local ITC agency at the airport.

The Island of Rhythms: the Maloya King

In 1981, maloya was still officially banned on the island. Since 1 October 2009, it has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's a fine turn of events for this Cari-style blues, inherited from the days of slavery, and which magically bends to all states of the human soul, from the deepest sorrow to the wildest trance. Behind the vocals, sometimes relayed by the melody of the bobre, the low frequencies of the roulèr and the dry percussion of the kayamb ensure a full rhythm. The sound is a reminder that Africa is not far away, as Réunion's maloya echoes its cousins from Madagascar and Mozambique. Maloya is traditional, but it's far from a dead language, and the genre continues to evolve as musical influences change. Jazz gave birth to maloyaz, and reggae to maloggae. And there's probably a malorock version too...

Day 3: Rally to the south and the Piton de la Fournaise volcano. Riddles and competitions along the way. Stops at viewpoints along the Rivière des Remparts, the Plaine des Sables and the Pas de Bellecombe. Break in Bourg-Murat for a Creole lunch in a century-old house. Award ceremony and return to the hotel.

The island of volcanoes: sulphurous origins

A brief reminder of the facts: the island of Réunion was born of volcanoes and all its scenery bears witness to its eruptive origins. In fact, unlike nearby Mauritius, Réunion is a mountain in the sea; a real mountain, with steep roads, deep valleys, vertiginous peaks and cliffs, and clouds clinging to the summits, the highest of which, the Piton des Neiges, rises to over 3,000 m. In the centre of the island, the cirques - Mafate, Cilaos, Salazie - underline the power of the successive crater collapses; further down, the black sand beaches give concrete expression to the marine destiny of the lava. The Piton de la Fournaise is a regular reminder that the volcano is at home here. Some thirty eruptions have been recorded in the last thirty years, lasting from 5 hours to 196 days! To get to the viewpoint at the top of the volcano, you take a quiet road where the vegetation seems to have reclaimed its rightful place over a troubled geology. Suddenly, the road enters the Plaine des Sables, where the volcano has left its mark with staggering force. The route ends at the Bellecombe pass, at 2,300 metres, with a view of the Fouqué enclosure, the starting point for hikes to the craters. The expedition can be enjoyed in rally mode or in a nine-seater mini-bus with educational stops to make sure you don't miss out on the unusual geological context.

Creole cuisine: straightforward curry

Whether it's chicken, beef, capri, prawn, lobster or fish, curry is the ubiquitous main course on the Reunionese table. Onions, garlic, shallots, turmeric, thyme and thinly sliced tomatoes: these are the ingredients that accompany the meat or fish chosen, duly browned beforehand. All served directly from the pot on the table. The side dishes include white or zambrocal rice (with saffron), 'grains' - lentils, cape peas, beans, coconut, etc. - and a little vegetable achard. Fans can spice things up with rougail, a preparation made with ginger, onions and bird peppers.

Day 4: Head south again, but this time by bus to the Grand Brûlé area and its lava lands. Walk through the lava tunnels, accompanied by a specialist caver. On the way back, stop off at the spectacular viewpoint of the 2007 flow and its 120 million m2 of lava. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Lava tunnels: black is black

How does a lava tunnel form? A caving guide explains in detail: "During a flow, the lava solidifies faster in the area in contact with the air, but continues to flow underneath. At the end of the eruption, the walls remain and the tunnel empties into the sea". By the light of an acetylene lamp attached to the helmet, you can walk through these very special caves. The tunnel is brand new, inherited from the 2004 casting. The narrow passageways, traces of landslides and frozen stalactites give you an idea of the fierce mass movements that led to the formation of these long corridors of deep black and anthracite grey. "Be careful, numbers are the enemy of the great outdoors", says the caver, who advises working in small groups of 10 to 12 people so as not to detract from the quality of the expedition.

Alternative: paragliding

The great show of hot air currents. The latest French paragliding championships were held on Réunion, on the Colimaçons and Bellemène ramps. This distinction is no coincidence, as paragliding, along with canyoning, is one of the island's great specialities when it comes to thrill-seeking activities. And there's no mistaking the fact that the L'Île de La Réunion Tourisme guide lists no fewer than fourteen paragliding service providers on Réunion. Throughout the catalogue, the range of activities on offer varies in duration - from a 15-minute first flight to an hour-long sports flight - and in scenery, from over the primary forest to sugar cane fields or the lagoon, with the occasional dolphin, turtle or whale in the background. The highlight of most of the packages on offer is the landing on the beach.

Day 5: Transfer by bus to the Piton Maïdo overlooking the Mafate cirque. Mountain bike down to the coast with specialist guides. Break at Doudou's for a Creole cookery lesson. Evening at Coco Beach, beside the lagoon. Entertainment with a sega maloya troupe. Night at the hotel.

Mountain biking: the path to glory

For those who have never tried mountain biking before, now is the time - and the place - to do so. Everything is in place: expert guides, perfectly maintained equipment and, above all, an exceptional route that takes in the contrasting scenery of the island, from the peaks to the coast. The exercise starts at an altitude of over 2,000 metres, at the summit of Le Maïdo, with a breathtaking view of the Mafate cirque. Then it's off for a long morning descent through the tamarinds and sugar cane fields before heading off into the savannah, offering a unique panorama over the bay of Saint-Paul. The expedition often ends with a picnic on arrival. Although it's an active route, it's accessible to everyone.

Le Coco Beach: the best deal on the seafront

From Saint-Paul to Saint-Leu, there are a number of seaside restaurants, but this one stands out for its surprising size, with a capacity of almost 300 people and a range of privatisation options. Around the "Coco boat", the buffet formula's supporters are busy, with themes changing from day to day (Oriental, Caribbean, Creole...). The forward section, open to the lagoon, is more suited to grilled meats. For the final evening, the options are open: a maloya or merengue show or simply a DJ.

Day 6: A lazy morning to enjoy the lagoon. Optional: helicopter flight in Écureuil-type aircraft. Fly over the island's three cirques and dive into the trou de Fer. Lunch at the hotel and transfer to the airport.

Farniente: blue lagoon waters

"Réunion, the intense island": that's the tourist slogan. Of course it is. But once the joys of paragliding, mountain biking, canyoning, hiking and boat trips have been exhausted, visitors fortunately retain some right to laze around. And, as everywhere, idleness has its natural home: the beach. To do this, head west, whether on the black sand of Étang-Salé beach or facing the lagoon behind the 20-kilometre coral reef. On the menu: clear sand, water at an idyllic temperature, the sound of the wind in the filaos, and a few quiet straw huts to hydrate the inaction.

Alternative: the helicopter

Early in the morning! It's the perfect time to board Helilagon's Écureuil helicopters. Volcanoes, cirques, lagoons: everything is within easy reach in these six-seaters. The pilot's commentary, relayed via headphones, helps you find your way around the landscape. Two highlights: the dizzying discovery of the Mafate cirque, then the dive into the trou de Fer, where the heli-copter begins to dance with the waterfall. From the 45-minute flight over the island to the "two cirques" and "three cirques" options, there are several alternatives. Helilagon also offers day trips such as the heli-rando to Mafate, the heli-4X4 to Dimitile, but also the heli-resto, with a lunch stop at the Letchis estate, or the heli-golf, which stops off at the edge of the greens of the Bassin bleu golf course. With its nine helicopters, the company can carry up to 36 passengers simultaneously.