Les Avirons

Where the name comes from

The origin of the name is still debated: some see it as a distorted Malagasy word, others as a reference to oars (avirons) planted on the shore by fishermen as landmarks visible from the sea.

History

Les Avirons is a small municipality in the south-west of the island, between Saint-Leu and Saint-Louis. Its name evokes the oars (avirons) used by the fishermen and sailors working this coast or, according to some sources, a local distortion of a topographical term. The municipality grew up around sugar cane and livestock farming on its gently sloping land between the coast and the first mountain foothills.

Les Avirons is known for the beauty of its hinterland, which climbs towards the municipality's wooded uplands before reaching the Japanese cedar (cryptomeria) forests and the hiking country of the Hauts de Saint-Leu. The coastline offers a few surf spots and open sea views. The municipality is also a starting point for walks into protected endemic forests.

A small residential and farming municipality, Les Avirons has kept a local economy alive: farmers' markets, Creole crafts and fruit growing (letchis (lychees), mangoes, longans). It is one of the south-western municipalities that have benefited from the improved access brought by the Route des Tamarins and the road improvements along the west coast.

Landscapes

Les Avirons is a municipality of slopes, rising from the rocky shoreline of the leeward coast to wooded uplands in less than 10 km. Hillsides planted with sugar cane and fruit trees dominate the landscape. From the upper part of the municipality, the view stretches down to the sea and, on clear days, to the ocean horizon.

Local culture

Les Avirons is a quiet municipality on the south-west coast, attached to its farming traditions and its rural Creole way of life. Local farmers' markets and neighbourhood festivals set the rhythm of community life. The municipality is appreciated for its peace and quiet and for the quality of its fruit, which has a fine reputation at the region's markets.

Why it matters

Between the west coast and the farming uplands, Les Avirons offers a low-key introduction to the altitude-tiered landscapes typical of this side of the island.