City of Saint-Joseph

The city of Saint-Joseph is located in the south-east of Réunion, Saint-Joseph stretches from the coast to the active volcano of Piton de la Fournaise. Its population reaches almost 38,000 inhabitants spread over 178.5 km2 and its postal code is 97480

Presentation of the city of Saint-Joseph

Difficult to access, it was not until 1735 that the first inhabitants settled in Saint-Joseph. It becomes common 50 years later. Its particularly fertile grounds gave the idea to the botanist Joseph Hubert to use them to cultivate products with low volume and easily transportable, but expensive like the cloves. At the beginning of the 19th century, the establishment of sugar factories with the exploitation of sugar cane accelerated the development of the city's economy and infrastructure.

The city center of Saint-Joseph along the coast is well urbanized and has most of the shops and amenities. It is surrounded by the districts of:

• Manapany-les-Bains to the west with its black sand beach and its natural basin in a preserved environment;
• Langevin to the east, its wild nature and its dwellings;
• Jean Petit in the north where vetiver is cultivated, a plant prized by perfumers for its essential oil.

What to do in the city of Saint-Joseph?

The city center of Saint-Joseph is not the most touristic on Reunion Island, but it is one of the places where you can soak up the art of living in Creole. Take a short detour to the Church of Saint-Joseph and the town hall which is just opposite to admire their typical architecture.

A covered market in the Hall of Saint-Joseph is present every Friday morning to stock up on fruits and vegetables from Réunion. The second Sunday of each month is reserved for the artisanal and local market with a theme according to the festivals that take place in the month such as Mother's Day or Christmas.

Take a walk at yellow cap which owes its name to the remarkable color of the hyaloclastites which constitute its cliff about fifty meters high, which therefore draws on the yellow and contrasts with the dark tints of the other surrounding volcanic formations. For this short hike you have to pass the town of Saint-Joseph and go to Vincendo. The walk is easy and lasts 1h30 round trip over a distance of 3 km.

You can take advantage to admire the magnificent Jacqueline waterfall, waterfall located at the mouth of the Langevin river, accessible after a 5-minute walk.

During your stopover in Saint-Joseph, take the opportunity to savor traditional dishes from Reunion like the ti'jacques boucané curry or the famous rougail Sausage, accompanied by this vanilla rum

To see in the town of Saint-Joseph

• Manapany-les-Bains 
• Langevin waterfall 
• Jacqueline waterfall

The 3 best accommodations in Saint-Joseph

• The o'gecko974 box
• Ti kaz Grondin
• Margayillat

The 3 best restaurants in saint-joseph

• At Jo
• At Jim's
• At Malet

To find out more, visit the Town hall of the city of Saint-Joseph