Saint-Leu Travel Guide

The Salt Museum (Musee du Sel) stands at Pointe au Sel in Saint-Leu, on the south-west coast of Reunion, next to the island's last remaining traditional sea-salt works. Lively displays explain the history of salt making, the evaporation process and the daily life of salt workers, showing how seawater crystallises into salt; visitors can also look out over the working salt pans and the coastal landscape. The site is compact and the displays are easy to follow, well suited to families and often combined with nearby coastal trails and whale-watching points.

Located on the Route des Colimaçons in Saint-Leu, Le Jardin Naturel combines a botanical garden with an artisanal nursery. Visitors can admire unusual plants and buy and have plants shipped from the garden.

Located at Colimaçons high above Saint-Leu, the Mascarin Botanical Garden (Jardin Botanique Mascarin / Conservatoire Botanique National de Mascarin) holds France's 'Jardin Remarquable' (Remarkable Garden) accreditation and showcases plants endemic to Réunion alongside tropical species. The grounds include the historic Chateauvieux estate.

Located at Les Colimaçons in Saint-Leu, Reunion's national botanical garden is part of the French national botanical conservatory (Conservatoire Botanique National de Mascarin) and holds the 'Jardin Remarquable' (Remarkable Garden) accreditation. It collects and conserves plant species endemic to Reunion and the Indian Ocean, combining scientific conservation with public visiting.

The Saint-Leu tourist information office belongs to the Western Tourist Office (OTI Ouest) and is located in the Espace Laleu building at the northern entrance to Saint-Leu, an important base for practical information on the south-west coast. It offers free maps and tourist leaflets, route advice, and bookings for accommodation and activities, and introduces local options around Saint-Leu such as whale watching, surfing, the salt marshes and mountain hiking. Staff generally speak French, with some English, making it a good first stop on arrival to plan the rest of your trip.

A rum-themed museum and distillery in Saint-Pierre (The Rum Saga / Saga du Rhum) that explores rum production from historical, cultural, technical and sensory perspectives, highlighting rum's close ties with the history and people of Réunion. The visit includes a tasting.