Réunion · Réunion
Saint-Denis travel guide
Saint-Denis is a city in Réunion, Réunion, home to about 156,000 people.
- Best months
- June to November
- Nearest airport
- RUN8 km · Roland Garros Airport
- Currency
- EUReuro
- Time zone
- Indian/Reunion
- Language
- French
About
About Saint-Denis
Saint-Denis is the prefecture (administrative seat) of the French island of Réunion. The island lies between Mauritius and Madagascar and has the status of a French Overseas Department and is officially an administrative division of France. The General Council and Regional Council, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Chamber of Trades and Craft Industry, the rectorate, the state university, the employment office, and the customs authority are to be found in the commune of Saint-Denis.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Saint-Denis
See
The important sights all lie along the axis of Avenue de La Victoire and Rue de Paris and are very compact to one another, so it is recommended to go on foot. In the city center, brand new buildings are often interspersed with decaying ones. Along side the many properly well-appointed and the most representative buildings of the colonial style, there those with little more to interest the tourist than their "historical patina", often immediately next door.
- Cathedral of Saint-Denis Saint-Sauveur
- Chapelle de l'Immaculée Conception
- Église Notre Dame de La Délivrance
- Église Notre Dame de l'Assomption
- Grand Mosque Noor al Islam
- Pagoda Lisi Tong
- Pagoda Guan Di
- L'ancien Hôtel de Ville
- Hôtel de la Préfecture
- University of Réunion
- Banque de La Réunion
- Palais Rontaunay
Do
- Casino Saint-Denis
- Cinéma Ritz
- Golf Club du Colorado
- Guan Di Festival
- TCF
- Théâtre Le Grand Marché
- Théâtre Vollard
- Parc du Colorado
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Saint-Denis
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Saint-Denis are June to November. January is the warmest month, with average highs of 28 °C; February is the wettest, with about 239 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Saint-Denis: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Roland Garros Airport (RUN), about 7.5 km from the city centre in a straight line; Saint-Pierre Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE, 49 km) is also within reach.
Getting around
The city center is very compact and can be toured easily on foot. The central zone extends from Barachois near the coast, along the Avenue de La Victoire and its extension, Rue de Paris, until the Jardin de L'Etat. The pedestrian zone (Carré Piéton) is in the area around Rue Marchel Leclérc. During business hours, traffic in central Saint-Denis can be chaotic, and parking places may be scarce, whereas on Sundays, the city may seem nearly deserted, with many businesses closed and shuttered.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
RUN · Roland Garros Airport
ZSE · Saint-Pierre Pierrefonds Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Saint-Denis
Eat
For a quick bite, there are a number of snack shacks at Le Barachois, with a variety flavors represented (including McDonald's).
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Saint-Denis: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Saint-Denis?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Saint-Denis are June to November. January is the warmest month, with average highs of 28 °C; February is the wettest, with about 239 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Saint-Denis?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Roland Garros Airport (RUN), about 7.5 km from the city centre in a straight line; Saint-Pierre Pierrefonds Airport (ZSE, 49 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Saint-Denis?
euro (EUR).
Nearby
Destinations near Saint-Denis
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.