Sainte-Suzanne

Where the name comes from

One of the cradles of the island's settlement: in 1646, twelve mutineers exiled from Fort-Dauphin (Madagascar) settled on the site of today's Quartier Français. The locality became a municipality in 1704. Today it is home to the Niagara waterfall and the Bassin Bœuf, both popular for swimming.

History

Sainte-Suzanne is one of the earliest-settled municipalities in Réunion: the first settlers arrived here in the 17th century, drawn by the fertile land watered by the Rivière Sainte-Suzanne. The municipality quickly developed prosperous sugar and vanilla farming, and the Niagara waterfall once powered the region's sugar mills.

The municipality has preserved a remarkable architectural heritage. Several 19th-century Creole houses with varangues (verandas) are still lived in in the main village, and wooden cases (houses) painted in traditional greens and blues line the lanes of the village centre. Sainte-Suzanne's coast is known for its diving sites in a sea protected by a modest coral reef.

The municipality remains focused on farming, with sugar cane and food crops. Its weekly market is one of the liveliest on the north-east coast, and the many hiking trails up into the uplands reveal unspoilt nature mixing humid forests and traditional plantations.

Landscapes

Sainte-Suzanne is a coastal municipality with gentle relief, crossed by the river of the same name. The coastline alternates between rocky stretches and small beaches. The hinterland consists of sugar-cane plains that gradually give way to humid forests as you climb towards the uplands.

Local culture

Sainte-Suzanne cultivates an authentic Creole identity, attached to its architectural and farming traditions. The Niagara waterfall is an emblematic spot for Sunday family outings on the east coast. The municipality is also known for its Bourbon vanilla growers, a crop that keeps alive the memory of Edmond Albius, a native of the area.

Why it matters

The Niagara waterfall, the Rivière Sainte-Suzanne and the farming landscapes of the east: a municipality that illustrates the diversity of Réunion's territories between sea and mountains.