Saint-Paul is the second-largest commune in the French overseas department of Réunion. It is located on the extreme west side of the island of Réunion.

Transport

The traditional grave of French pirate Olivier Levasseur, nicknamed nicknamed La Buse (“The Buzzard”) or La Bouche (“The Mouth”), who was most famous for allegedly hiding one of the biggest treasures in pirate history, estimated at over £1 billion, is located in Saint-Paul’s Cimetière marin de Saint-Paul cemetery. Besides pirates, the cemetery also serves as the permanent resting place of poets Leconte de Lisle and Eugène Dayot, as well as the painter Arthur Grimaud.

Geography

The commune of Saint-Paul is located on the west coast of Reunion Island. It borders on Cilaos , the Port , La Possession and Trois-Bassins .

The municipal territory is the largest in the department. It covers part of the Cirque de Mafate and its highest point is near the summit of Gros Morne , at an altitude of 3,019  m . 

This territory includes forests and a savannah , the Saint-Paul savannah .

Climate 

The town of Saint-Paul is considered one of the hottest towns on the island (along with the town of Port). Its climate is tropical dry, with only 40 days of rain per year, the city lacks water. The wind is not very present because we are on the “leeward coast”.

Places and monuments 

Coral lagoon and pass.The Saint-Paul fairground marketVictoria pineapple sale at the Saint-Paul market

• Market .
• Magnificent colonial mansion housing the old Franco-Chinese school.
• Marine cemetery housing the tomb of the last French pirate, Olivier Levasseur , known as “La Buse”.
• Slave cemetery
• Cave of the First French , where the latter housed their belongings.
• Tower of the Rocks .
• Boucan Canot beach .
• Seaside resort of Saint-Gilles les Bains .
• Réunion Aquarium .
• Garden of Eden .
• Maïdo summit .
• Pointed Chapel .
• Church of the Conversion of Saint Paul .
• Open-air theater of Saint-Gilles