St-Paul Reunion

Saint-Paul, the second most populous town in Reunion Island, stretches along the west coast between the shoreline and the inland highlands. It is regarded as the island's first French settlement, dating back to 1665, a history reflected in the seafront's Cimetière Marin, where the corsair Robert Surcouf is buried. The town is known for its street market, one of the largest on the island, held along the seafront on Friday and Saturday mornings. The municipality also includes the beaches of L'Ermitage and Boucan Canot, popular for swimming and snorkelling thanks to the lagoon sheltered by the coral reef. Further inland, the Étang de Saint-Paul, a protected wetland, is home to a varied bird population. The highlands above the town provide access to hiking trails leading towards the Cirque de Mafate. The tropical climate, tempered by trade winds, offers pleasant temperatures for much of the year, with a wetter season running from December to March.