Saint-Joseph

Where the name comes from

Turmeric (curcuma), a spice recognisable by its bright yellow colour, is one of the traditional crops associated with this municipality of the wild south.

History

Saint-Joseph is the flagship municipality of Réunion's wild Grand Sud. Founded in the 17th century in an area long difficult to reach because of its ravines and lava flows, the municipality developed around diversified farming and active inshore fishing, in a natural setting of spectacular beauty.

Saint-Joseph's territory is crossed by the Rivière des Remparts, one of the deepest and wildest rivers on the island. The Cascade Grand Galet (Langevin waterfall) — dropping 60 m into a pool carved out of black rock — is one of the most photographed natural sites in Réunion. The municipality is crossed by the Route des Laves, which runs past historic lava flows along the seafront.

The Grand Sud is also marked by Réunion's cultural resistance: traditional maloya is still very much alive here, carried by artists such as the late Granmoun Lélé, a native of the municipality. Lying away from the main urban routes, Saint-Joseph has preserved a rural identity and a mixed economy combining farming, fishing, nature tourism and Creole crafts.

Landscapes

Saint-Joseph is the land of the wild Grand Sud: black basalt cliffs plunging into the sea, dizzying ravines, lava flows, mountain forests and spectacular waterfalls. The Rivière des Remparts, carved into a canyon several hundred metres deep, is one of the island's great natural wonders. The coastline is exposed and spectacular.

Local culture

Saint-Joseph is seen as the municipality that has best preserved Réunion's authentic Creole character. Maloya here is a living cultural expression, not a museum piece. The craftspeople, fishermen and farmers of the Grand Sud carry on ways of life handed down through generations, far from the urban bustle of the north and east of the island.

Why it matters

Cascade Grand Galet, Manapany-les-Bains and the Langevin river: a municipality where the wild south shows off its finest contrasts between ocean and mountain.