A slice of France sitting in the Indian Ocean, roughly 9,000km from Paris and just off the coast of Madagascar — Réunion Island is close enough to Mauritius to combine easily, and different enough to feel like its own trip. It's still overlooked compared to its neighbour, which is part of the appeal.

A French island in the Indian Ocean

Réunion remains under French jurisdiction, with French as the official language and the euro as currency. It's home to close to 900,000 people, and its capital, Saint-Denis, is the largest French city outside mainland France. The island was uninhabited until French settlement began in the 17th century; its culture today blends French, Malagasy, Indian and Chinese influences. Réunion also marks the abolition of slavery in the French colonies each year on 20 December — one of the island's most significant public holidays.

Getting there

Most visitors combine Réunion with a stay in Mauritius — the flight between the two takes under an hour, which makes it easy to split a trip between Réunion's landscapes and Mauritius' beaches. Direct flights from Paris also run regularly, though it's a long haul (around 11-12 hours) and fares vary a lot by season, so it's worth comparing dates rather than assuming a fixed price. An Indian Ocean cruise calling at Réunion, Mauritius and the Seychelles is a slower option if you want to see all three in one trip.

When to go: Réunion's seasons

Réunion runs on a Southern Hemisphere calendar, so its summer runs from around November to April — warmer, more humid, with a higher chance of tropical rain. Winter, from June to September, is the driest and generally the most comfortable stretch for travel: daytime temperatures rarely drop below 20°C, though evenings can turn cool enough for a light jacket. The shoulder periods around March-May and September-October tend to offer the best balance of mild weather and fewer crowds.

Two things worth building a short trip around

Piton de la Fournaise is one of the world's most active volcanoes, and the drive up to it is part of the experience — the landscape turns volcanic and otherworldly well before you reach the crater. For a different view of the island, microlight and helicopter flights are available from operators based near Le Port, giving you an aerial look at Réunion's waterfalls and interior that's hard to get any other way.

If a short trip works better split across two islands, take a look at Quintrip's Réunion Island holiday packages — Mauritius pairs naturally with it if you want beach time and volcanic landscapes in the same itinerary.

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