Six weeks in Réunion in January/February

Hello, we’re a couple over 70 and will be spending about six weeks in Réunion next January/February, staying first in Saint-Leu and then in Saint-Pierre, each time in independent accommodations. We’ll have a car and enjoy hiking, though nothing too strenuous. Otherwise, we live quietly—cooking our own meals and exploring at a relaxed pace. Our goal is simply to escape the harshest part of the European winter in good conditions. Can anyone share some great tips, easy hikes, must-see spots, or surprising activities? In return, we’d be happy to share insights about Valais in Switzerland—a sunny but chilly winter destination! Best, Bernard.

Hi there,

I’d recommend not just booking places in the lowlands but planning accommodations all over the island (a week in each area, for example).

First, because distances in hours are huge (50 kilometers can easily take 2 hours), and also because traffic jams on the west coast are insane.

You’ll spend all your time in the car if you’re not close to the island’s wonders.

For hiking, it gets steep fast, and when it says "medium" difficulty, it really means difficult...

Here’s a link to the hikes .

You might also find some useful info in my travel journal .

Have a great trip to Réunion! 🙂

Thanks for your quick reply—I’ll read all of this. Have a great Sunday!

Hello, we are a couple over 70 years old and will be staying for about six weeks in January/February in Réunion, specifically in Saint-Leu and then in Saint-Pierre,

I agree with Attila about the places to stay. If you only stay on the west coast, you’ll waste a lot of time driving to visit the rest of the island. So, I’d recommend choosing several bases: - Saint-Gilles - Saint-Pierre or Saint-Joseph - Cilaos - Plaine des Cafres and/or Plaine des Palmistes - Salazie/Hell-Bourg And spend your last day near the airport (Sainte-Marie).

Our goal is to spend the harshest part of the European winter in good conditions. Can anyone give us some great tips, easy hikes, must-see sites, or surprising activities?

You haven’t chosen the best time to visit Réunion, especially for hiking! January and February are the hottest months but also the rainiest! It’s also cyclone season—even if they don’t happen every year, last year there was one in January, and over half of the hiking trails were closed or impassable for over a month. The terrain will often be slippery, and some areas may be flooded (especially in the east), as was the case last year until mid-March. Check this site for hiking updates: https://randopitons.re/ When I have a little time, I’ll share a list of easy hikes and walks (the most spectacular ones), focusing on those near the coast (given the season). And one or two more "challenging" ones—only attempt those early in the morning if the weather conditions are perfect, otherwise there’ll be no visibility! Also, take these warnings into account (locals often ignore them, but they’re a good guideline if you’re not very young or an expert hiker): https://guide-reunion.fr/breves/detail/sentiers-de-randonnee-fermes/ Have a great trip!

Short hikes (often to waterfalls or scenic viewpoints) or very short walks

-From St Gilles: The basins and waterfalls of St Gilles: (prioritize the Egret Basin) https://blog.tropicalhome.fr/les-bassins-de-saint-gilles/ From St Louis / St Pierre on the way to CilaosLa fenêtre des Makes (Go by car + short walk possible in the surrounding forest) https://www.sudreuniontourisme.fr/tresors-du-sud/la-fenetre-des-makes.html

-From St Joseph or Langevin: Jacqueline Waterfall and Pointe Langevin https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-une-boucle-a-la-pointe-de-langevin-par-l/ Langevin Waterfall (or Grand Galet) https://www.cartedelareunion.fr/listings/cascade-grand-galet-ou-cascade-langevin/ Terre Rouge and Cap Jaune: https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-terre-rouge-le-cap-jaune-et-le-plateau/carte-diagramme.html

-From Cilaos: Roche Merveilleuse loop. You can also drive there + 5-minute walk https://randopitons.re/randonnee/1249-boucle-roche-merveilleuse-depuis-hotel-thermes-cilaos. More challenging hike to do only if the weather permits: (departure from Bras des Étangs) From Cilaos to L'ilet à Cordes via the Chapelle trail (downhill) + the Îlet trail (uphill). Return by bus to Cilaos (schedules are posted on the signs at bus stops)

From Plaine des Palmistes: Le Trou de Fer via the Belouve Gîte. Be careful during the rainy season—it’s very, very humid! I recommend not going via point 6 on the map but turning left after point 5 (better equipped and less muddy) https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-le-trou-de-fer-par-le-gite-de-belouve-et/carte-diagramme.html

From Ste Suzanne: By car (parking) Niagara Waterfall) https://randopitons.re/tourisme/172-cascade-niagara

From Piton Ste Rose: Anse des Cascades loop https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-piton-ste-rose-anse-et-pointe-des-cascad/

From Ste Anne (south of St Benoit) Le Bassin Bleu (for swimming): https://www.reunionest.fr/lest-de-lile-de-la-reunion/les-cascades-et-bassins-de-lest-de-la-reunion/bassin-bleu/

From St Paul or La Possession (Dos d'Ane) La Roche Verre Bouteille: https://www.visorando.com/randonnee-roche-verre-bouteille/carte-diagramme.html Easy/moderate hike (start early—it gets crowded and hot...)

Thanks, that’s so kind of you. We’ll take all of that into account and follow the advice. That said, we’re not changing our dates, so we’ll take whatever weather comes—cyclone included if we have to. Once again, thank you so much, Bernard

In any case, stay in at least 3 or 4 places, including the two cirques, Cilaos and Salazie... (Unless you don’t want to go there.) It’s cooler there, and above all, you’ll need time to navigate the 400 bends (I didn’t check) on the way to Cilaos. The round trip from the coast would take you the whole day! !

Hello, We’re in the same age group. We’ve been coming to the island for 19 years—our daughter and her family live here. From experience, I don’t agree with some of the recommendations. The idea of booking several accommodations is good, but is it really enjoyable to empty the cupboards every two days to move to the next place? We don’t like that. From Saint-Leu, leave around 9:00/9:15 AM because before that, you’ll be stuck in the flow of workers and traffic jams, which can be really tough. As others have mentioned, January and February are the humid season, but I’m sure you already have your tickets. Cilaos has 440 turns—we’re heading back there in the next few days. Avoid going during Réunion’s school holidays (until January 13). Last time, we ran into lots of restaurants closed for annual leave. But maybe you like sandwiches! For excursions, aside from the risk of closed trails, you need to be in good shape. Major sites like the volcano, Maïdo (which overlooks the Mafate cirque), and Cilaos are accessible by car. At our age, we’re not spring chickens anymore, so we accept there are things we can’t do. Last week, a close friend in our age group thought she could still easily hike Mafate, spending one night in a gîte. On the way back the next day, she had a serious dizzy spell and had to be airlifted. Thankfully, she’s fine now. The Plaine des Palmistes road is stunning—easy to reach from Saint-Leu and even better from Saint-Pierre. For Salazie, we go on Sundays when there’s less traffic because not everyone is on the road. We do a day trip with lunch there. That’s my take on things.

Thanks so much, your input is really valuable to us. We’re excited to stay on the island starting January 14th, and we’ll take it easy. Our goal is to live simply, at our own pace and in tune with the weather. Wishing you a great end of the year!

From experience, I don’t agree with some of the recommendations. The idea of booking several accommodations is good, but is it really enjoyable to empty the cupboards every two days to move to the next place?

It’s not about changing accommodation every two days! For a six-week stay in Réunion, I think it’s better to choose four spots—or even a fifth for the last night near the airport—meaning you’d spend over a week in each place. Staying in Saint-Paul or Saint-Leu means a lot of time lost in traffic, both ways, just to get to Cilaos, Salazie, or the east coast, no matter where you’re headed. And all these places are worth seeing. Unless you prefer spending your days in the car… that’s your choice, but not everyone’s.

For excursions, aside from the risk of closed trails, you need to be in good shape. Major sites like the volcano, Maïdo (which overlooks the Mafate cirque), and Cilaos are accessible by car. At our age, we’re not exactly spring chickens anymore, so we accept there are things we can’t do.

I don’t know your age, but my wife and I—over 70 (and we’re not the only ones)—still hike regularly, and our Alps are just as challenging as Réunion in terms of difficulty. 90% of the "walks" (one or two might qualify as "hikes") I suggested in my first post are accessible to almost everyone, and from experience, I can tell you that if you only drive, you’ll miss out on a lot!

Jean Michel This isn’t a criticism of your post at all. I’m just sharing our experience with the sites mentioned. After that, everyone does what they want based on others’ experiences. That’s what we call the freedom to choose and decide. Best regards, Bernard