BEACHES OF SAINT-PAUL

Idleness, bronzing, bath, plays, surfing, plunging with mask and tuba, black or white sand, lagoon or opened sea, the west of Reunion Island proposes the most beautiful beaches of the island to you.

Find the whole of the beaches supervised with, daily updated, the temperature of the air, water, the color of the flags… click here.

Do not forget that if you want that the beaches remain beautiful, think about environment.

- The Bay of Saint-Paul: prohibited bath

This very long black sand beach was formerly called “bay of best anchoring”, it sheltered the ships from storms and cyclones.

Today, you can practice many sports in the open air on this long black sand extent, a course for health was arranged close to the pond of Saint-Paul, where many Reunion Island people come each day to run on sand. It is a place also favorable for walking and contemplation. If you are attentive, you will surely see at the horizon dolphins, whales and squalls which forwards in the surroundings.

Access: the principal access is opposite to the place of the open market.

- Petite Anse: not supervised beach

At the southern exit of Saint-Paul, located after the “Cap de la Marianne ”, you can stop on the beautiful and long strike of black sand.

It is the ideal place for kite, Jet Ski, having a picnic or fishing with the line. “Animated by the farandole of the sailing ships, this entrancing landscape is like marine sails where the fire of the sun crackles when time of the Zenith comes, it is reflected on the floods like a sparkling hail of gold” (CM Leconte De Lisle, Poèmes cruel, Manchy).

Access: while coming from Saint-Paul, exceed the course of Marianne, the beach is downwards.

- Cap La Houssaye : not supervised beach

This rock block is the paradise for fishermen to the line. Many plungers (in apnea or not) also come to contemplate sea-beds, very rich at this place. One can even bath in the small splits when the sea is quiet.

Not far from the trunk road, this place will astonish you by its calms. This beach is deserted in week but on the other hand, it is much frequented during the weekend.

Access: The Cape Houssaye is indicated. Below the small car park

- Pain de sucre: not supervised beach

At the entry of Boucan Canot, this beach spreads out its white sand under the sun of the Mascareignes. It is a beautiful zone of diving, because it is full of caves and tunnels.

This long romantic beach is less attended and less noisy than its neighbor in the center of Boucan.

Access: At the entry of Boucan, next to Maharani Hotel

- Boucan Canot: Supervised beach,

click here to know, in real time, the temperature of water, the color of the flags…

The white sand beach faces the ocean without coral barrier, which confers to it a greater depth than in lagoon and beautiful waves for those who appreciate them. The children can splash about and have fun in the natural swimming pool, which is on the left of the beach in full safety. It is one of the most important tourist spot of Reunion Island , with many bars and restaurants. If you want a small corner of shade, nothing simpler, you shelter under the Filaos which border the beach and form beautiful shaded terraces.
The beach is separated in 2 parts:

--> the zone of bath (supervised): located opposite the station of monitoring, it is reserved only for bath.
 -->the zone of surfing (not supervised): located on the left of the station of monitoring, it is reserved for nautical activities (surfing, body board, etc).

Access: In the center of Boucan. Car parks at the entry of the town

 - Ti Boucan: not supervised beach

Bordered by luxuriant vegetation, Ti Boucan beach is a haven of peace, which becomes animated in weekend. Reunion Island inhabitants like to have picnic under the Filaos admiring turquoise water and the black rocks which are thrown in water. However, be careful with the sea urchins and corals, many at the edge of water…

Access: Take the street of the Cap Homard which skirts the ocean, in direction of Saint-Gilles?

- Cap Homard: not supervised beach

Courted at weekend, this beach remains the ideal hiding-place, in week, for those who like loneliness. Bordered by beautiful villas which hide in the shade of the palm trees, one reaches it, by a thicket of Filaos. If one can soak oneself in some natural basins, swimming proves to be impossible. There’s nothing else but to get a tan, contemplate, for example, “le veloutier bord’mer”, tropical shrub whose silver plated sheets resemble velvet and to behave like Robinson Crusoe.

Access: To take the street of Cap Homard, which skirts the ocean, the beach is in front of the car park.

- Les Aigrettes: not supervised beach

Tiny beach, bordered of two rocks: the rock known as lion’s and that of the seal’s. You can have a bath in one of the natural basins which sublimate the beach, like Jacuzzis! The house of the Reunion Island poet, Jean Albany is behind the rock of the lion. He wrote, in its hut: “O my island, my friendly sweet hut, the sun is lying and the horizon is colored like “longose” and wild saffron” (Amour Oiseau Fou, l'Adieu).

Access: take the direction “Grand Fond” then borrow “Rue des Sables” on the right. 50 m after, a way goes down to the beach.

- Grand Fond: not supervised beach

Many plates of “Beach Rock” (Trapping reef platforms, slipping and strewn with sea urchins) paper the shore, which makes bath impossible. The fishermen will be pleased. The lay down of sun on this beach is magic, the ocean glows red, illuminates itself and flares up, the sky takes as far as the eye can see colors violet, pink and carmine.

Access: Direction “Grand Fond”, take the “Rue de Sables”, one reaches the beach by alleys perpendicular to the shore between the residences.

- Roches Noires: supervised beach,

click here to know, in real time, the temperature of water, the color of the flags…

It is located at Saint Gilles close to the marina.
White sand beach, the beach of Roches Noires faces a zone of bath open on the ocean (absence of coral barrier). It is thus deeper than a zone of bath in lagoon. The proximity of coffees, restaurants and dancing clubs will content late-bedders who want to benefit from the frenzy of this seaside resort. This beach is crammed the weekend and during the school holidays.
The beach is separate in 2 parts:

--> zone of bath (supervised): located opposite the post of swimming teachers Rescuers, it extends from the dam to the cluster of black rocks.

--> zone of surfing (not supervised): located opposite the esplanade of black rocks where the lagoon begins. Zone reserved for the nautical activities (surfing, body board, etc).

Access: In Saint-Gilles-les-Bains, follow “rue de la Plage ”.

- Les Brisants: not supervised beach

 Here begins the lagoon of Saint-Gilles and his eight kilometers of dream.

Diaphanous landscape, tropical and family, this beach is the perfect example of the beach postcard. Sand is white, the waves hum far off, the wind refreshes and the sunsets are unforgettable.

Access: This beach is located at a two-minute walk from the marina, the level of rondavelle and of the nautical club of Bourbon.

- L’ Hermitage: supervised beach,

click here to know, in real time, the temperature of water, the color of the flags…

The beach of L’Hermitage , which extends from Saint-Gilles to the Villas of the Lagoon, is one of the Polynesian beaches which mark out the lagoon. Family, shaded, water is at ideal temperature (23° the winter, 29 ° the summer) in which reflects the blue sky. It is the paradise for the children because the lagoon is not very deep on many meters and that of the parents, who equipped with mask, palms and tuba will be able to discover the richness of the Reunion Island underwater funds. The Hermitage is a genuine populated aquarium of a fish string and multicolored corals. You can take your hammock and hang it between two Filaos: close the eyes and  benefit from this small moment of idleness.

Free visits, accompanied by a professional guide, underwater paths are organized (information to the 0692 76 73 86).

This beach is the ideal place for a picnic in the shade of the Filaos or having a drink or eating in one of the restaurants/bar which border the beach.

 Access: to take the exit the Hermitage, at the roundabout to take on the left. The car park is under the Filaos.

- La Saline : supervised beach,

click here to know, in real time, the temperature of water, the color of the flags…

 Less shaded than the Hermitage, la Saline is quite as attractive. One can there practice the canoe, the pedal boat, initiate oneself with the sports of veil, be restored… You can also provide you with mask and tuba to contemplate the reef.

Access: since the center of the Saline, after the post office, to follow the direction “Planch' Alizé”.

- Trou d’eau: not supervised beach

Quietude of water, exemplary temperature, and turquoise water… all contributes to make this beach a swimming pool of the Gods. You can test yourselves with Kite-Surfing, to make jogging, or quite simply lying on the beach.

Access: at the southern exit of “ La Saline ”, when you reach the bus stop “trou d’eau”, turn right.

Source: Le Guide des plages - Les éditions du Boucan. Find more information on the unit of these beaches and those of the other communes in this guide.