Reunion is a French overseas department located in the Indian Ocean. About 170 km west of Mauritius, Reunion is located in the Mascarene archipelago. In this article you will read about best beaches in Reunion Island France.
This volcanic island presents a very steep relief attracting in particular the tourists who represent the first economy of the island. From the very beginning of its constitution, Reunion Island society has experienced several interconnected cultural dynamics. The different components of the population have been subject, to varying degrees, to juxtaposed processes of assimilation, interbreeding and cultural reformulations.
The climate of Reunion is humid tropical. But it is distinguished above all by the great variability linked to the geography of the island. The influence of relief is just as fundamental as the effects of insularity. Its three circuses make it a privileged place for hiking, but you will also be able to open up to the diversity of Reunion’s landscapes by many other means. You will find below a list of best beaches in Reunion Island France.
1. Trou d’Eau beach
Trou d’eau beach is located to the very south of Saint-Gilles-les-Bains, but it is a small, quieter and unsupervised beach. Lined with white sand, it is especially popular with lovers of nautical activities of all kinds: canoeing, transparent kayaks to be able to admire the seabed, paddle, or even snorkeling. This is one of the best beaches in Réunion Island France.
2. Boucan Canot Beach (That’s one of the best beaches in La Reunion)
Open to the ocean, Boucan Canot beach north of Saint-Gilles les Bains, on the west coast, is one of the busiest beaches on the island. Appreciated for its waves and its fish-filled bottoms, it is just as attractive for its small sheltered natural pool. Its bathing area offers greater depth than in the lagoon given the absence of a coral reef.
3. Grande Anse beach
Located on the south coast of the island, Grande Anse beach offers a landscape worthy of a postcard: white sand, lush vegetation, coconut palms, crystal clear water… fans of idleness have found THE PLACE TO BE. On the other hand, swimming there is quite dangerous because of the swell, but it is possible to swim in complete safety in the landscaped pool protected by rocks, at the end of the beach.
4. Etang Salé Beach
The town of Étang-Salé, south of Saint-Leu, is home to a large expanse of very fine black sand, elected among the five most spectacular beaches in the world in 2016 by a specialist magazine. The Etang-Salé beach offers the Pirogue basin to the south: a small lagoon ideal for swimming with the family and snorkeling near the fishing port.
5. Roches Noires beach
In Saint-Gilles-Les-Bains, Roches Noires beach is smaller than Hermitage or La Saline beach, but is no less popular with locals and holidaymakers, who come here to sunbathe or go for a walk. bare feet buried in the white sand. It does not have a lagoon, the water is therefore deeper and allows the practice of various water sports including surfing, but also jet-skiing, or sailing.
6. Beach of Saint Leu Center
On the edge of the town of Saint-Leu, Saint-Leu Center beach has a secure lagoon supervised by lifeguards whose biodiversity can be appreciated by diving enthusiasts. Constituting an ideal ground to learn about nautical activities, the beach can also be flown over by paraglider.
7. The beach of Saint-Pierre
the beach of Saint-Pierre, which as its name suggests, is in the town of the same name in the south of the island. With its long strip of white sand, it is also protected by a coral reef. We therefore enjoy swimming in the blue waters of its lagoon before going to bask on the warm sand. Thanks to its corals, it is also an ideal spot for divers. At the end of the day, we enjoy the sumptuous sunset over the sea.
8. Black Rocks Beach
Also in Saint-Gilles, Roches Noires Beach is, along with Boucan Canot Beach, the only open-ocean beach where swimming is permitted. Less than two kilometers long, it is one of the smallest beaches in Reunion. Forming a crescent of white sand around a relatively sandy seabed, it owes its name to the dark rocks emerging from the water in its northern half.
9. Hermitage Beach (That’s one of the best beaches in La Reunion)
Located on the west coast of the island, the Hermitage is the ideal epilogue to a trip to the island. Main beach of the Saint-Gilles lagoon, it offers easy access to the sea, sheltered from the reef. Its calm and warm water, combined with a depth not exceeding 2 meters, makes it a suitable place for children to swim or for a first discovery of the fauna and corals in palms.
10. Saline beach (That’s one of the best beaches in La Reunion)
La Saline beach is also one of Reunion’s most beautiful beaches, bordered by a long strip of white sand. Just like its close neighbour, its lagoon and its shallow waters allow you to go for a dip in complete safety, or to indulge in snorkeling to admire the coral reef and the multicolored fish. Be careful for swimmers not to cross the lagoon, where the currents can sometimes be dangerous.
Best beaches in La Reunion Island France
- Trou d’Eau beach
- Boucan Canot Beach
- Grande Anse beach
- Etang Salé Beach
- Roches Noires beach
- Beach of Saint Leu Center
- The beach of Saint-Pierre
- Black Rocks Beach
- Hermitage Beach
- Saline beach