Difference between revisions of "Saint-Denis (Réunion)"

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Saint-Denis (créole: Sin-Dni) is the capital of Reunion|Réunion Island, and the city with the most inhabitants on the island. It hosts all the important administrative offices, and is also a cultural center with numerous museums. Saint-Denis is also the largest city in all of the French Overseas Departments.

Saint-Denis (Réunion) Halal Travel Guide

Saint-Denis La Réunion - upright 1.7|Panoramic view of Saint-Denis

Saint-Denis is the prefecture (administrative seat) of the French island of Réunion. The island lies between Mauritius and Madagascar and has the status of a French Overseas Department and is officially an administrative division of France. The General Council and Regional Council and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Chamber of Trades and Craft Industry and the rectorate and the state university and the employment office, and the customs authority are to be found in the commune of Saint-Denis.

Saint-Denis was named in 1669 by Étienne Régnault, who later became governor of Réunion from 1665 to 1671. The settlement was named after the ship "Saint-Denis", which in 1664, as part of a fleet sailing under the flag of the French India Company, was sent to Réunion Island and then on to India. Governor Régnault arrived with the fleet from France, and established a resupply outpost on the coast at Saint-Paul and the first capital of the island.

The small 60-ton ship "Saint-Denis", which had been separated from the fleet at Tenerife in the Canary Islands, still managed to find its own way to the island, arriving in 1667. The captain of the ship, named Chanlette, was a good friend of Régnault, so the bay and the harbor, and later the city, were named "Saint-Denis" in honor of return of the lost ship. The ship was, in turn, named after Saint Denis, a third century bishop and missionary to Gaul, who was martyred with his companions Rusticus and Elentère in what would become modern-day France.

Under Mahé de Labourdonnais and then Governor of the East India Company and an important figure in the history of the island and the town of Saint-Denis replaced the former capital of Saint-Paul due to the general quality and favorable location of its harbor. Though the small settlement had just 2166 inhabitants, it had become the capital of the island and seat of the colonial government of the whole of the Mascarene islands.

In the year 1743 and the first church and the new governor's palace (the modern Prefecture) were built. In 1771, a formal plan for the city was instituted. This followed the typical colonial grid pattern, with 12 streets in the east-west direction and 7 running north-south.

[[2015-06-05-LaReunion 1213-0717 03 - La Possession

The administrative headquarters and warehouse of the French East India Company was established in 1773. It was built in the typical French colonial vernacular style and was later the official residence of the Governor and Prefect. In 1790, Saint Denis was incorporated as a commune, and Jean Baptiste Delestrac became its first mayor.

Saint-Denis remained only a small town, trailing behind Saint-Paul in population and Saint-Pierre in economic power. At the turn the 19th century and the city was little more than a boring bureaucratic backwater, where the most exciting activity was still taking a walk. By mid-century, however, sugar barons had begun pouring money into the local economy, and Saint-Denis blossomed into an important cultural and commercial center. In 1852, both the colonial bank and the natural history museum were founded in the city.

By the 20th century, political and economic life on the island had become directly tied to the fortunes of the capital: two world wars, malaria epidemics, and increasing cultivation of the sugar beet in Europe all lead to an economic recession in the city and on the island in general, from which it has emerged with subsidies from Paris and the European Union.

The primary ethnic groups of the city are European immigrants, former slaves, Chinese and Muslim Indian immigrants and their descendants, and créoles. The demographics are highly mixed, and ghettos of any particular ethnicity do not exist.

Well-known people from Saint-Denis include French aviation pioneer Roland Garros (1886 – 1918) and the writer Marius Leblond (1877 – 1953), French politician Raymond Barre (1924 – 2007), and handballer Daniel Narcisse (1979-).

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Travel to Saint-Denis (Réunion)

Buy a Flight ticket to and from Saint-Denis (Réunion)

Roland Garros Airport IATA Code: RUN The airport has daily connections to Paris and other destinations in France via Air France and Air Austral and the official airline of Réunion. Direct connecting Flights from other European destinations are not available, but there are connecting Flights from Mauritius and other regional hubs.

The international airport for Réunion is Roland Garros.

The airport has a shuttle bus service that takes passengers directly to the main bus station, L'Ocean Terminal, in central Saint-Denis. Travel duration is roughly 20 minutes.

Visitors can also travel by (expensive) taxi service or by renting a vehicle from one of the several providers serving the airport.

There is another airport on Réunion, Pierrefonds Airport, near Saint-Pierre in the south of the island, offering Flights to regional destinations in Mauritius and Madagascar.

By car

The Route du Littoral, RN1, opened in 1976, connecting Saint Denis to the southwest of the island along the steep north coast. The route is subject to frequent rock slides, and remains hazardous, despite the protective barriers and safety nets.
Route RN2 runs from Saint-Denis along the east coast of Réunion.

Travel on a Bus in Saint-Denis (Réunion)

The city of Saint-Denis is the terminus for several bus routes.

Route A, A1 (Express), and B: Saint-Denis - Saint-Paul - Saint-Gilles-Les-Bains - Saint-Leu - Saint-Louis - Saint-Pierre. Follows RN1 along the west coast. Approximately 90 minutes, €4.20.
Route B1, C1, and E: Similar to route A on the west coast, but terminating instead at Saint-Leu.
Route Friday (Express) and G: Saint-Denis - Sainte-Marie - Saint-Benoit. Follows RN2 on the north coast.

The buses run from around 04:30 on weekday mornings, but much later on Sundays and holidays, until 18:00, at hourly intervals.

The island's bus service is known as Car Jaune (Yellow Car, for their official color scheme). The central bus station of Saint-Denis is L'Océan Terminal. It is located by the beach, just a few meters east from the Barachois waterfront.

Book a Halal Cruise or Boat Tour in Saint-Denis (Réunion)

The small harbor of Saint-Denis has no significant tourist interest. The international harbor serving the island is in Le Port.

Get Around

The downtown is very compact and can be toured easily on foot. The central zone extends from Barachois near the coast, along the Avenue de La Victoire and its extension, Rue de Paris, until the Jardin de L'Etat. The pedestrian zone (Carré Piéton) is in the area around Rue Marchel Leclérc.

During business hours, traffic in central Saint-Denis can be chaotic, and parking places may be scarce, whereas on Sundays and the city may seem nearly deserted, with many businesses closed and shuttered.

What to see in Saint-Denis (Réunion)

ReU StDenis ConGen - upright 1.3|Villa of the General

The important sights all lie along the axis of Avenue de La Victoire and Rue de Paris and are very compact to one another, so it is recommend to go on foot. In the downtown, brand new buildings are often interspersed with decaying ones. Along side the many properly well-appointed and the most representative buildings of the colonial style and there those with little more to interest the tourist than their "historical patina", often immediately next door.

Mosques & Temples

Grand Mosque Noor al Islam Built in 1990
Pagoda Lisi Tong Built in 1896
Pagoda Guan Di Near the junction of Rue du Marechal Leclerc and Rue Sainte-Anne somewhat east of the downtown

Significant buildings

L'ancien Hôtel de Ville Old City Hall, Mayoral Residence | Built between 1846 and 1860 (with interruptions due to lack of funds)

Hôtel de la Préfecture Governor's Palace | Originated as the warehouses of the French East India Company, and is the both one of the first large public buildings built on the island, and its oldest extant structure.

University of Réunion

Banque de La Réunion - Bank of Réunion | The oldest operating enterprise on the island. The bank is a prestigious villa in the colonial vernacular style, completed in 1858.

Palais Rontaunay This prestigious villa was built in the early 19th century in the créole vernacular style, and was the residence of Julien Rontaunay Gaultier, which later became the location of the government and Consul General of the island.

Villa du Général An excellent example of villa in the créole vernacular style.

Villa Mas A colonial-style villa with an exemplary portico. built from 1973 to 1804 for Baptiste Lestrac and the first mayor of Saint-Denis. Now serves as the home of the Ministry of Culture.

Villa Déramond-Barre Another outstanding example of the colonial vernacular style. This villa has been home to several important local residents, such as painter and poet Leon Dierx.

Monuments

Monument aux Morts - World War I Memorial | At the intersection of Avenue de la Victoire and Rue de la Compangie

Museums

Léon Dierx Museum - Modern Art Museum | The museum was founded in 1911 and occupies the colonial-style Villa Manès, which had been the official bishop's residence. One can see works from local artists together with those of Picasso, Renoir, Gauguin, Vlaminck, Bourdelle, and Jean Le Gac. The museum's namesake, Léon Dierx, was a local painter and poet who died in the year 1912.

Artothèque - Museum of Contemporary Art | Exhibitions change bimonthly.

Muséum Histoire Naturelle - Natural History Museum

Parks

La Barachois This waterfront promenade with its distinctive cannons is located where Avenue de La Victoire meets the sea. The name can roughly be translated as "little harbor", and they cannon date from the early 19th century when the island was threatened with British invasion during the Napoleonic wars. Also at La Barachois are monuments to aviation pioneer and native Réunionnais Roland Garros (after whom the city's airport is also named), to prominent Governor of the French East India Company Mahé de la Bourdonnais, and to General Charles de Gaulle.

Jardin de l'Etat - State Garden | Historic botanical garden built from 1767 to 1773 and containing roughly 5 hectares of open space, located at the southern terminus of the Rue de Paris. The Natural History Museum is also within the grounds of the park.

Jardin de Cendrillon - A crėole garden with flowers, fruit trees and spices in La Montagne.

Best things to do in Saint-Denis (Réunion)

Cinéma Plaza Movie theater.

Cinéma Ritz Movie theater.

Golf Club du Colorado - 9-hole golf course located in the La Montagne neighborhood.

Guan Di Festival A colorful festival held each August celebrating the birthday of the Chinese god of war.

TCF - Théatre de Champ Fleuri | ☎ +262 262 41 93 00 +262 262 41 55 71
Théâtre Le Grand Marché - ☎ +262 262 20 33 99 +262 262 20 01 66
Théâtre Vollard - Theater group that performs both on the island and internationally. Named after Reunionais publisher and art dealer Ambrosius Vollard.

Parc du Colorado - A sports and recreation complex southwest of Saint-Denis with opportunities for jogging, golf, hiking, mountain biking, and picnicking.

Muslim Friendly Shopping in Saint-Denis (Réunion)

The main shopping neighborhood of Saint-Denis is in the pedestrian zone around Rue Marechal Leclerc, with plenty of small shops, as well as the large public market. The wide range of goods exhibited in the shops reflects the diverse cultural legacy of the island.

PMU Barachois Newspapers and periodicals, with some international selection.

Entrepot The largest bookstore in the city.

Le Mahal Artisanal handcrafts and souveniers.

Arts et Lumière - Art gallery.

Markets

Grand Marché - Big Market | A covered open market hall. Goods available in this location include fruits and vegetables, spices, textiles and wood carvings from Madagascar, and other various souvenirs from the Indian Ocean region.

Petit Marche - Little Market | Primarily offering food and flowers.

Marché des Camélias Artisanal crafts, vegetables, Meat and fish (it has been relocated to nearby Boulevard Sud due to construction).

Marché du Chaudron An annual fair in the Chaudron District with over 400 stalls, featuring seafood, fish, Meat, and vegetables.

Halal Restaurants in Saint-Denis (Réunion)

Halal food is very limited

eHalal Group Launches Halal Guide to Saint-Denis (Réunion)

Saint-Denis (Réunion) - eHalal Travel Group, a leading provider of innovative Halal travel solutions for Muslim travelers to Saint-Denis (Réunion), is thrilled to announce the official launch of its comprehensive Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Saint-Denis (Réunion). This groundbreaking initiative aims to cater to the diverse needs of Muslim travelers, offering them a seamless and enriching travel experience in Saint-Denis (Réunion) and its surrounding regions.

With the steady growth of Muslim tourism worldwide, eHalal Travel Group recognizes the importance of providing Muslim travelers with accessible, accurate, and up-to-date information to support their travel aspirations to Saint-Denis (Réunion). The Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide is designed to be a one-stop resource, offering an array of invaluable information on various travel aspects, all carefully curated to align with Islamic principles and values.

The Travel Guide encompasses a wide range of features that will undoubtedly enhance the travel experience for Muslim visitors to Saint-Denis (Réunion). Key components include:

Halal-Friendly Accommodations inSaint-Denis (Réunion): A carefully selected list of hotels, lodges, and vacation rentals that cater to halal requirements, ensuring a comfortable and welcoming stay for Muslim travelers in Saint-Denis (Réunion).

Halal Food, Restaurants and Dining in Saint-Denis (Réunion): A comprehensive directory of restaurants, eateries, and food outlets offering halal-certified or halal-friendly options in Saint-Denis (Réunion), allowing Muslim travelers to savor local cuisines without compromising their dietary preferences in Saint-Denis (Réunion).

Prayer Facilities: Information on masjids, prayer rooms, and suitable locations for daily prayers in Saint-Denis (Réunion), ensuring ease and convenience for Muslim visitors in fulfilling their religious obligations.

Local Attractions: An engaging compilation of Muslim-friendly attractions, cultural sites such as Museums, and points of interest in Saint-Denis (Réunion), enabling travelers to explore the city's rich heritage while adhering to their values.

Transport and Logistics: Practical guidance on transportation options that accommodate Muslim travel needs, ensuring seamless movement within Saint-Denis (Réunion) and beyond.

Speaking about the launch, Irwan Shah, Chief Technology Officer of eHalal Travel Group in Saint-Denis (Réunion), stated, "We are thrilled to introduce our Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide in Saint-Denis (Réunion), a Muslim friendly destination known for its cultural richness and historical significance. Our goal is to empower Muslim travelers with accurate information and resources, enabling them to experience the wonders of Saint-Denis (Réunion) without any concerns about their faith-based requirements. This initiative reaffirms our commitment to creating inclusive and memorable travel experiences for all our clients."

The eHalal Travel Group's Halal and Muslim-Friendly Travel Guide for Saint-Denis (Réunion) is now accessible on this page. The guide will be regularly updated to ensure that Muslim travelers have access to the latest information, thus reinforcing its status as a reliable companion for Muslim travelers exploring Saint-Denis (Réunion).

About eHalal Travel Group:

eHalal Travel Group Saint-Denis (Réunion) is a prominent name in the global Muslim travel industry, dedicated to providing innovative and all-inclusive travel solutions tailored to the needs of Muslim travelers worldwide. With a commitment to excellence and inclusivity, eHalal Travel Group aims to foster a seamless travel experience for its clients while respecting their religious and cultural values.

For Halal business inquiries in Saint-Denis (Réunion), please contact:

eHalal Travel Group Saint-Denis (Réunion) Media: info@ehalal.io

Muslim Friendly Hotels

Hotel Le Mascareignes - ☎ +262 21 15 28 +262 21 24 19
Hotel Mercure Creolia - ☎ +262 94 26 26 +262 94 27 27
Hotel Le Saint-Denis - ☎ +262 21 80 20 +262 21 97 41

Cope

Office de Tourisme Intercommunal du North - Northern Tourism Office | Maison Carrère, 14 Rue de Paris ☎ +262 56 65 72
Ile de La Réunion Tourisme IRT - Réunion Island Tourism | 1 Rue Jean Chatel ☎ +262 21 00 41 +262 21 00 21
Maison de la Montagne ☎ +262 90 78 78 +262 41 84 29 Reservation agency for mountain cabins.

Telecommunications in Saint-Denis (Réunion)

PTT - Central Post Office | 60 Rue du Maréchal Leclerc. GPS -20.879751, 55.451479

News & References Saint-Denis (Réunion)

Travel Next

Saint-Gilles (Reunion)
Piton de la Fournaise

@@ Line 59: / Line 59: @@
 The small harbor of Saint-Denis has no significant tourist interest. The international harbor serving the island is in Le Port.
-<h2 class=subheader>How to get around in {{FULLPAGENAME}}</h2>
+<h2 class=subheader>Get Around</h2>
 The downtown is very compact and can be toured easily on foot. The central zone extends from Barachois near the coast, along the Avenue de La Victoire and its extension, Rue de [[Paris]], until the Jardin de L'Etat. The pedestrian zone (Carré Piéton) is in the area around Rue Marchel Leclérc.