Réunion Practical Guide: Getting There, Getting Around & What to Budget
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Réunion is a French overseas department (département d’outre-mer) — part of France, part of the European Union, using the euro, with French as the official language and the same administrative systems as metropolitan France. This matters practically: the island functions at a European standard, prices are European, and the infrastructure is significantly better than neighboring Mauritius or Madagascar. It also means the island is almost entirely oriented toward French tourists; English is spoken less widely than in most popular international destinations.
Getting There
From Paris (Charles de Gaulle or Orly): Air France and Corsair fly direct to Roland Garros Airport (RUN) in Saint-Denis. Flight time is approximately 10.5–11 hours. These are the main routes; book 2–3 months in advance for reasonable fares (€400–700 return depending on season and carrier).
From Mauritius: The short hop across the Indian Ocean — Air Mauritius and Air Austral fly Saint-Denis to Port Louis in approximately 40 minutes. A Réunion-Mauritius combination is an obvious pairing: add 4–5 days on each island.
From mainland France: Lyon and Marseille also have direct flights on Air France and Corsair (slightly more expensive than Paris).
The island has no ferry service — all arrivals are by air.
Getting Around
Car Rental (Essential)
Réunion is not navigable without a vehicle. The island has buses (Car Jaune, the local network) but they serve the coastal Route Nationale rather than the cirques or mountain routes, and schedules are limited. For anything beyond the main coastal ring, a car is necessary.
Rental: Available at the airport from standard international companies (Hertz, Europcar) and local operators. Expect €35–60/day for a standard vehicle, €55–80/day for a 4WD (recommended if you’re accessing Piton de la Fournaise or the cirque roads).
Roads: The Route Nationale 1 (RN1) runs around the coast — the main road connecting all coastal towns. The mountain roads to the cirques (particularly the road to Cilaos, with 400+ curves over 37 km) are technically demanding but drivable in a standard car.
Traffic: Saint-Denis and the coastal strip can be congested during rush hours (7–9 AM, 5–7 PM). The interior is empty.
The Cirque Roads
The roads into the three cirques — Cilaos, Mafate (road only reaches the rim), and Salazie/Hell-Bourg — are among the most spectacular in the Indian Ocean. The Cilaos road is particularly well-known: 37 km with over 400 hairpin bends, carved into the cliff face. Narrow in sections; drive slowly and expect oncoming traffic on blind corners.
Accommodation
Réunion has a well-developed gîte system — rural and mountain accommodation combining private rooms and table d’hôte (set meals prepared by the host). Gîtes in the cirques are the best accommodation experience on the island: a room in the mountains, dinner with the host’s Réunionnaise cooking (often the best food you’ll eat), and access to trails from the door.
- Gîte in the cirques: €40–80/person including dinner and breakfast
- Hotel in Saint-Denis or Saint-Gilles: €70–150/night (standard)
- Boutique hotel on the coast: €120–250/night
- Luxury hotel (Le Récif, etc.): €250–500/night
Book gîtes well in advance (3–4 months for peak periods) — availability is limited and regulars fill them quickly.
Costs
Réunion is an expensive island by regional standards:
- Groceries: Similar to provincial France. Fresh produce is cheaper than France; imported goods are pricier
- Restaurant meal: €12–22 for a lunch plat; €25–45 for a dinner at a sit-down restaurant
- Street food (rougail saucisse at a snack bar): €5–8
- Petrol: €1.60–1.90/litre (subsidized by the French state, cheaper than metropolitan France)
- Car rental: €35–80/day
- Gîte (full board): €70–130/person
Daily budget (mid-range including car, accommodation, food): €100–180/person.
Best Time to Visit
May–November (dry season): Lower humidity, less rain, clearer skies. The volcano and mountain hiking are most accessible. Temperature on the coast 20–28°C; in the cirques and mountains, cooler (15–22°C).
December–April (wet season): Hotter and more humid on the coast; heavy rain in the mountains. Cyclone risk (January–March). Piton de la Fournaise eruptions are more common in this period. Mafate and Cilaos hiking can be disrupted by rain and trail closures.
Best months overall: June–September. Stable weather, comfortable temperatures, low cyclone risk.
Language
French is the official language. Réunionnais Creole (a French-based creole with influences from Malagasy, Tamil, and African languages) is widely spoken as a first language by most residents. In tourist-facing contexts, French is sufficient; some English is spoken at major hotels and tourist sites, but don’t rely on it beyond Saint-Denis and the main coastal resorts.
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