The beaches in the municipality of Saint-Leu are lined with casuarina trees and have been designed to protect the area. The municipality also has a lagoon, facilities dedicated to sea turtles and museums covering a range of topics. This means you can discover Saint-Leu through its coastal landscapes and marine life, as well as through salt production, the sugar industry and the history of settlement, slavery and engagisme. When planning your visit, it helps to decide whether you want to focus mainly on nature, culture or active experiences: options range from museums and market visits to snorkelling and water sports.

Coastal Landscapes and the Sea

South of Saint-Leu lies Le Souffleur, a coastal cave hollowed out by the sea. When a large wave enters the passage, water is propelled upwards through the opening like a geyser. The spectacle therefore depends on the waves and is not a constant effect. Pointe au Sel also brings nature and history together: the area is protected by the Conservatoire du Littoral and preserved as natural and historical heritage. The Musée du Sel is located at Pointe au Sel. It provides a clear introduction to how salt is produced and the importance of salt to Saint-Leu.

In the lagoon, you can snorkel and observe the biodiversity of the Réunion Marine Nature Reserve, as well as fish among the coral. The warm, clear lagoon offers a different experience from the sculpted rocky coastline at Le Souffleur. If you are interested in surfing, La Gauche is one of Saint-Leu’s surf spots; surfing there is subject to the presence of the water patrol.

Sea Turtles and Kélonia

Kélonia is an environmental education centre dedicated to sea turtles. The site includes seawater-fed pools, educational and scientific facilities, and outdoor areas. The rehabilitation centre takes in injured or sick turtles and releases them back into the sea once they have recovered. Visitors can also see tortoises at Kélonia. Environmental education, scientific work and animal care are therefore brought together in one place, making this visit thematically different from an outing to the lagoon, where fish and coral are the main focus.

Museums, Industrial History and the Town Centre

The Musée Stella Matutina presents the history of settlement, slavery and engagisme through personal stories. Its resources and collections include historical, ethnographic and technical collections, unusual objects, industrial relics, accounts from former workers, archival documents and multimedia. The former Stella Matutina sugar factory is located in Piton Saint-Leu. If you are interested in the interplay between local history and industry, you will find a different perspective here than at Kélonia or the Musée du Sel.

The Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette church is in the centre of Saint-Leu and provides another cultural stop alongside the museums. The subjects are spread across different places and areas of focus: salt at Pointe au Sel, the historical topics mentioned above at the Musée Stella Matutina, and a church in the town centre. If you plan to visit several of these places, check their individual schedules and conditions rather than assuming they share the same opening hours.

Active Experiences and Local Offerings

Saint-Leu offers several different options for exercise and activities with providers. You can go bungee jumping from a height of 120 metres at the Ravine Fontaine viaduct. In Les Colimaçons, experienced flight instructors offer introductory paragliding flights; availability may change. On the Pointe des Châteaux estate, the Maison du Coco runs workshops about coconuts. Schedules and availability for these may also change, so it is worth checking in advance.

Providers offer sailing from the Saint-Leu marina. Other options include jet ski trips towards Saint-Gilles-les-Bains and rides on an inflatable tube towed behind a boat. Providers and availability may change. These activities are quite different from the lagoon, museums and coastal cave: the focus here is on organised activities and, depending on the offering, getting out on the water. When planning, you can choose the type of experience you want without treating the different activities as one combined programme.

Market and Practical Information

The market on Saint-Leu’s seafront takes place every Saturday morning. You can try traditional samoussas, bouchons, bonbons piments and gâteaux péi there; the food on offer may vary. If you plan to visit the market, check the date in advance. This is particularly helpful if you have set aside Saturday morning for a specific part of your trip.

For the drive to the Grande Fontaine car park, the directions from the Saint-Leu Tourist Information Office take you via the northern roundabout: turn right there. As the road layout and access to the car park may change, check the route before setting off. This keeps the specific directions useful without assuming a walking time or distance.

Discover more destinations: Carosse, Saint-Paul, L'étang-Salé Les Bains, La Saline-Les-Bains, Saint-Gilles Les Hauts, L'Ermitage-Les-Bains, Saint-Gilles

Go to the main travel overview: Saint-Paul.