City of Saint-Philippe

The city of Saint-Philippe is located in the south-east of Réunion. Its territory is very vast since it includes part of the Piton de la Fournaise and the forest of Burn victim as well as the forest of the South volcano.

Presentation of the city of Saint-Philippe

Founded in 1830 in honor of King Louis-Philippe d'Orléans, the city of Saint-Philippe is a former district of the municipality of Saint-Joseph. The Saint-Philippois and Saint-Philippoises make a living from fishing and hunting. The city then launched into the cultivation of coffee and corn, then in the middle of the 19th century in that of sugar cane and vanilla.

Saint-Philippe has managed to conserve its plant landscape and its typical South Wild Creole lifestyle that you can discover in our Meeting Guide.

The city center stretches out on the coast of the island where shops and restaurants are mainly concentrated along the N2. It is surrounded by two districts:

• Le Baril to the west, where the main historical sites of Saint-Philippe, the wells of English and French ;
• the Tremblet which goes up on the east coast between the crater of 1986 and the Burn victim hosting a majority of restaurants.

What to do in the city of Saint-Philippe?

Visit the church, built in lava stone or stop by the Sainte-Philippe Marine. It is a small fishing port where you will learn about the history of the sinking of the Warreng Hastings.

Take advantage of the fairground market fruits and vegetables from Réunion every Thursday afternoon. If you are going in August, celebrate the vacoa party for 10 days, a tree very dear to the hearts of the inhabitants of the city of Saint-Philippe and leave with objects woven from vacoa leaves.

They say that the appetite comes with eating and by the way, do you know the pimpin? It is the fruit of vacoa, you understand better why the locals love it and pay homage to it. Treat yourself to donuts, samosas or pimpin jam.

To see in the town of Saint-Philippe

• Cap Méchant
• Burn victim
• Garden of flowers and spices 
• The sides of Piton de la Fournaise

To find out more, visit the Saint-Philippe Town Hall