Things to do in Saint-Pierre, Reunion Island
Founded in 1735, the capital of the South has a huge street market (the 2nd biggest in France), the island's only major town beach, a lively marina, a Tamil temple, the Domaine du Café Grillé, the Saga du Rhum and plenty of thrill activities. Here are 20 things to do, plus restaurants, hotels and day trips.
The essentials on Saint-Pierre
Saint-Pierre is the capital of the Southand the island's third-largest town after Saint-Denis and Saint-Paul. Founded in 1735 by the French East India Company (Compagnie des Indes), it has kept a more authentic, more Creolecharacter than the west coast's seaside resorts. The town centre is walkable, the Saturday street market draws the whole island, and the town-centre beach is unique: the only major town with a beach and a protected lagoon.
Saint-Pierre is also an ideal base for day trips: 5km from Pierrefonds airport (inter-island and low-cost flights, and a helicopter base), 1h15 from Cilaos, 1h30 from the volcano, 30 minutes from the wild south. Here are the visits, activities, restaurants, hotels and excursions to know about.
The historic centre and its markets
Colonial architecture from the days of the French East India Company, a huge street market on Saturday mornings, a covered market every day except Sunday, the harbour and the lighthouse jetty.
The historic town centre
Colonial architecture from the days of the French East India Company (Compagnie des Indes), shopping streets, Rue des Bons-Enfants and Place Henri Lapierre, with Creole houses, verandas and pilastered facades. The town's cultural department runs tours with qualified guides. Best explored in the late afternoon as the heat eases.
The covered market
Open every day except Sunday, right in the centre: a hall full of spices, vanilla, honey, jam, medicinal plants and crafts. Calmer and more authentic than Saturday's street market, and ideal for souvenirs or stocking up if you're self-catering.
The Ravine Blanche street market
The island's biggest market. Every Saturday morning from 6am to 1pm on the seafront (Ravine Blanche district, north side), with 250+ stalls. It's ranked among the finest markets in France. Fruit, vegetables, Victoria pineapple, Cilaos lentils, Bourbon vanilla, Chinese dumplings, Creole crafts.
The harbour and the lighthouse jetty
A busy marina and the starting point for fishing trips and coastal cruises, with a pedestrian jetty leading to Saint-Pierre's iconic lighthouse. Come for spectacular sunsets, joggers and pétanque players, seafront bars and a laid-back Creole atmosphere.
Saturday morning, Ravine Blanche
Every Saturday morning, from 6am to 1pm, the seafront on the Ravine Blanche side (north of town) hosts the island's biggest street market. Over 250 stalls, ranked among the finest markets in France.
Fruit (Victoria pineapple, lychees in season, mangoes, papayas), spices and Cilaos lentils, Bourbon vanilla, Chinese dumplings and samosas, Creole crafts. Go early for the cool air and parking, bring cash.
After the Saturday market, have lunch with your toes in the sand on the town beach, a 5-minute walk away. End the day with a seafront drink and the sunset from the lighthouse jetty.
Beaches and the seafront
Saint-Pierre is the island's only major town with a beach and a lagoon. The town beach for family swimming, Terre-Sainte for local character, and Grande Anse, 15 minutes away, for postcard scenery.
Town-centre beach
Lagoon'The island's only major town with a beach and lagoon.' Fine white sand, a lagoon protected by a reef 200m out and calm water at 25-27°C. There's a supervised swimming zone in season and at weekends, shark nets, children's play areas, and snack bars and restaurants nearby.
Terre-Sainte beach
A more authentic, quieter fishermen's beach. Colourful Creole houses line the seafront, with fish restaurants and a local feel far from the tourist trail. Take care if you swim, as it's outside the supervised zone. Ideal for a sunset stroll.
Grande Anse beach
TopOne of the island's most beautiful beaches, with coconut palms, green cliffs and a natural swimming pool (the open sea has dangerous currents, and swimming outside the pool is banned). Picnic area and free parking. Worth combining with the Manapany pool, 20 minutes away.
Thrills and culture in Saint-Pierre
A pendulum jump from the Bras de la Plaine bridge, quad and buggy riding at Mont Vert, an escape room for rainy days, a visit to the Karly Hindu temple.
★ 4.8(39)Fleur Jaune Canyoning, Cilaos
Canyoning at Fleur Jaune (Cilaos), Reunion Island. 4 packages from €65, Mini, classic or full route. With CilaosAventure and my partners.
★ 4.9(162)Langevin River Canyoning
Canyoning on the Langevin river in Saint-Joseph from €55: family, classic, sporty Grand Galet and aquatic hike packages with CilaosAventure.
Escape Rooms in Saint-Pierre
An escape game in Saint-Pierre at Prizoners from €25. 4 escape rooms (Pirate Ship, Carbon Copy, Karma Project, Virtual Reality).
★ 5(8)Pendulum Jump in Reunion Island
A pendulastic jump in Reunion Island from €110 at the Ravine Fontaine viaduc (Saint-Leu) with Air Jump Réunion. 2 listings compared: Manawa & Funbooker.
★ 5(4)Scuba Diving at Étang-Salé
2 diving packages at the southern tip of the Marine Nature Reserve with Plongée Salée: a discovery dive at €110, or an exploration dive at €65. Unique volcanic sites.
★ 5(17)Bras Rouge Canyon, Cilaos
4 canyoning listings for the Bras Rouge canyon (Cirque de Cilaos), from €65. A Médian route (3h) or an Intégral route (6h), 3 operators compared, 5/5 from 17 combined reviews.
★ 4(2)Piton des Neiges Ascent from Cilaos
A guided ascent of Piton des Neiges (3,070m, the Indian Ocean's highest point) in 1 day from Cilaos with Otenthike (Manawa), from €50 per person.
★ 4.9(27)Quad and Buggy Tours in Saint-Pierre
2 quad and buggy packages in Saint-Pierre from €160: a self-drive quad rental, or a guided ZForce 950 buggy excursion in the Mont Vert forest, 4.9/5 from 24 reviews.
★ 4.9(29)Rivière des Remparts Quad Tour
A guided quad excursion in the Rivière des Remparts valley from Saint-Joseph, from €70 per person, 4.6/5 from 23 reviews, from age 8 as a passenger, cliffs over 300 m.
★ 5(27)Karly Hindu Temple Tour, Saint-Pierre
A 1-hour guided tour of the Karly Hindu temple in Saint-Pierre with Loïc, its guardian of Tamil descent. €20 per person via Viator, 5/5 from 27 reviews.
4 visits not to miss
The Domaine du Café Grillé (a botanical garden plus Bourbon Pointu coffee), the Saga du Rhum, the Narassingua Peroumal Temple in Terre-Sainte, Pointe du Diable.
Domaine du Café Grillé
A 4-hectare Creole botanical garden in Saint-Pierre with over 800 tropical and endemic plant species and coffee grown on site (Arabica and Bourbon Pointu, an exceptional Reunion Island coffee). Visit on your own or with a guide, and taste the coffee and estate produce.
≈€9-12/adult, €6/child
Families · botany and coffee enthusiasts
Saga du Rhum
Reunion Island's only rum museum, covering the history of rum (closely tied to the island's own), how it's made, a still, a guided tasting and a shop. The historic Isautier distillery (19th century) is next door. Allow 1h30-2h. The tasting is for adults only.
≈€12-15/person
Adults · food and drink enthusiasts
Narassingua Peroumal Temple
In Terre-Sainte, one of the oldest and most important Hindu temples in Reunion Island (19th century). Listed Tamil architecture, a gopuram (ornate gateway tower) and statues of deities. Cavadee in January-February is a spectacular procession, and Diwali in November is the festival of lights. Please visit respectfully.
Free (donations welcome)
Everyone · living heritage
Pointe du Diable
A 15-minute drive towards Petite-Île: black basalt cliffs, waves crashing on the rocks and views over the Indian Ocean. An impressive geological site, ideal at sunset, with a picnic area and free access.
Free
Everyone · landscape lovers
Lagoon and harbour activities
Kayak and paddleboarding on the lagoon
≈€15-35/hThe Saint-Pierre lagoon is supervised in season and ideal for beginners, with clear kayak hire, paddleboarding and paddleboard yoga from several operators along the seafront. Go in the morning for the best conditions.
Discovery diving
≈€70-90A few dive clubs in Saint-Pierre explore the southern end of the Marine Reserve. There's less on offer than in Saint-Gilles or Saint-Leu, but it's quieter. See my complete Reunion Island diving guide to compare options.
Big-game fishing from Pierrefonds
≈€500-1,000 for the boatSaint-Pierre also has an active fishing harbour. Marlin, tuna and swordfish trips run for a half-day or full day, with gear provided. Quieter than Saint-Gilles, and often slightly cheaper.
Helicopter flights from the south
Saint-Pierre has its own airport (Pierrefonds, 5km from the centre), the departure point for several helicopter-flight companies. The big advantage: Pierrefonds is closer to the volcano than the Saint-Gilles heliport. Flyovers of the cirques, Piton des Neiges, Piton de la Fournaise and the wild south in 30 to 55 minutes.
See helicopter flightsThe South's liveliest town after dark
Saint-Pierre is the liveliest town in the south at night. The seafront, Boulevard Hubert Delisle, the streets of the centre: bars, restaurants, cinemas, nightclubs. Expect a young, student crowd on weekdays (the university is nearby in Le Tampon) and families and tourists at weekends.
For food: fine dining in the town centre, Indo-Creole cuisine, seafood brasseries (tuna tartare, grilled crayfish), seafront food trucks. See my guide to the best restaurants.
Where to stay in Saint-Pierre?
From a €32 backpacker dorm to the 4-star spa hotel Villa Delisle at €170: 6 hand-picked places, cheaper and more authentic than in Saint-Gilles.
High-endVilla Delisle Hôtel & Spa
Spacious modern rooms, a heated pool, a spa and an upmarket restaurant. Rated 8.3/10.
See the listing
Le Battant des Lames
An ocean-view pool, a spa (jacuzzi, hammam), direct beach access and a restaurant. Rated 8.2/10 by 1,636 travellers.
See the listing
UnusualGlamping Gadiamb City
17 glamping tents in a lychee orchard, 10 minutes from the centre. A quiet, natural setting, ideal for couples.
See the listing
Dôme, Domaine de Petite-Île
A transparent dome on a rural estate 15 minutes from Saint-Pierre, with a starry sky guaranteed.
See the listing
BudgetÔ PasSage Kaz Auberge
Close to Terre-Sainte's beach and restaurants, with a backpacker vibe and a great welcome. Rated 9.4/10.
See the listing
Les Baroudeurs Hostel
A central location steps from the market and seafront, with a young crowd. Rated 9.2/10.
See the listingExploring from Saint-Pierre
Saint-Pierre is one of the best bases in the south. Cilaos, the volcano, the wild south, Étang-Salé and Mafate are all doable as day trips.
Cilaos via the 400 bends
The UNESCO-listed cirque at 1,200m: thermal baths, Cilaos wine, embroidery, Piton des Neiges hikes, and canyoning at Bras Rouge and Fleur Jaune.
See the guidePiton de la Fournaise
France's most active volcano: the Martian landscape of the Plaine des Sables, Pas de Bellecombe, the Dolomieu crater hike and the Cité du Volcan museum in Bourg-Murat.
See the guideThe wild south and Manapany
Saint-Joseph, the Langevin/Grand-Galet waterfall, the Manapany sea pool and Cap Méchant: the unspoilt volcanic south coast.
See the guideÉtang-Salé and Bassin Pirogue
A black volcanic sand beach, the state forest, Bassin Pirogue (swimming in a sheltered sea pool) and Croc Parc.
See the guideMafate via the Maïdo or Les Bœufs
The only cirque with no road access, reachable only on foot, from the Col des Bœufs (Saint-André) or down from the Maïdo.
See the guideSaint-Gilles and the west
The long lagoon (Hermitage, La Saline), whale and dolphin trips from the harbour, scuba diving and upmarket hotels.
See the guideA van for the wild south
Saint-Pierre, Saint-Joseph, Langevin, Plaine des Cafres: the south-east has fewer hotels than the west. A van rented from a local owner via Yescapa combines accommodation and transport, so you can sleep near the spots (Manapany, Grand-Galet, Pas de Bellecombe) and catch sunrise on the lava-flow road.
Getting there and around
- From Saint-Denis (Roland-Garros airport): 1h10 via the N1 and N2.
- From Pierrefonds airport (inter-island, low-cost flights): 5km, 10 min.
- Car Jaune bus line 06 (Saint-Denis to Saint-Pierre via the west) or line 04 (via Saint-Joseph).
- On site: the town centre and market are walkable. The Alternéo urban bus network covers the districts.
- A hire car is essential for day trips (Cilaos, the volcano, the wild south). Pierrefonds is also a pick-up point: compare car hire deals on Discover Cars and switch the pick-up location to Pierrefonds.
When to visit Saint-Pierre?
- May-November (the dry season): the ideal window.
- April-September: steady trade winds, calm seas and drier weather than the north.
- Cavadee in January-February (a procession at the Narassingua Peroumal temple).
- Diwali in November (the Hindu festival of lights).
- December-March: the hot, humid season, with a cyclone risk in January-March.
Saint-Pierre: practical questions
What is there to do in Saint-Pierre, Reunion Island?
When is the Saint-Pierre street market held?
Where can you swim in Saint-Pierre?
What's the best market in Saint-Pierre?
What is there to do in Saint-Pierre in the evening?
How long should you stay in Saint-Pierre?
How far is Saint-Pierre from the volcano?
Saint-Pierre or Saint-Gilles: where should you stay?
Where can you stay in Saint-Pierre?
Domaine du Café Grillé: prices and hours?
What events happen in Saint-Pierre?
How do you get to Saint-Pierre?
Keep reading
- → The wild south: Saint-Joseph and Langevin.
- → Cilaos via the 400-bend road.
- → Le Tampon and the volcano.
- → Langevin / Grand-Galet waterfall.
- → Étang-Salé and Bassin Pirogue.
- → The island's most beautiful hikes.
- → The island's 7 best canyons.
- → Best fine-dining restaurants.
- → A 15-day budget for Reunion Island.
- → Saint-Gilles (1h west).
Article updated on 5 November 2026.