What to see in Réunion Island
in a campervan?

Piton de la Fournaise is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. From the Pas de Bellecombe-Jacob viewpoint, the panorama over the Plaine des Sables caldera is breathtaking. Every year, it erupts several times, offering a unique natural spectacle.

In a campervan, the advantage is huge: sleep nearby and set off at dawn to reach the summit before the crowds. The road crosses the Plaine des Cafres then the Plaine des Sables — an otherworldly, red and mineral landscape.

Nestled at 1,200 metres altitude, the Cilaos cirque is probably the most accessible and photogenic of Réunion's three cirques. Vertiginous ramparts, silver waterfalls, terraced crops, and a Creole village with its thermal baths and vineyards — an essential stop.

The road leading up there is one of the most winding in France — 400 bends from Saint-Louis — but each turn reveals a more stunning panorama than the last. From Cilaos, try the trail to the Piton des Neiges (3,070 m), the highest point in the Indian Ocean.

Mafate is the only cirque in Réunion inaccessible by car. No roads, no mobile signal. Only trails, hamlets clinging to the cliffs, and a preserved Creole community. To enter Mafate, you lace up your hiking boots and set off on foot.

From your van parked at Maïdo or Roche-Plate, the main entrances (Col des Bœufs, Rivière des Galets) are accessible on foot. Once inside, stay in the hamlet guesthouses (La Nouvelle, Marla, Aurère…). A world apart, out of time.

Salazie is the most lush and humid cirque on the island. Tree ferns, wild banana trees, and waterfalls tumbling from 300-metre-high cliffs — everything here is verdant. The Voile de la Mariée waterfall, visible from the road, is one of the most impressive on the island.

The village of Hell-Bourg, listed among the most beautiful villages in France, deserves an extended stop: its Creole houses with flower-filled verandas are a feast for the eyes.

Maïdo (2,200 m) offers one of the most striking panoramas on the island: a 2,000-metre plunge over the Mafate Cirque. Sunset and sunrise from this viewpoint are unforgettable moments. Sleeping in your van at Plaine des Tamarins (1,800 m) lets you be there at first light.

Plaine des Tamarins is an endemic forest unique in the world. The air is cool, sometimes misty, and nights are chilly — pack warm gear for your van!

The west coast is home to the only white sand beaches and protected lagoon on the island. Saint-Gilles-les-Bains is the main seaside resort, with its restaurants, surf shops, and Creole bars. Ermitage beach, with its turquoise waters, is ideal for snorkelling.

Further south, Saint-Leu is the surfing capital of Réunion. In a campervan, you can drive the entire coast in a day, stopping at any beach that catches your eye.

The Wild South is Réunion's hidden face — raw, volcanic, striking. Between Saint-Philippe and Saint-Pierre, the coastal road runs along lava flows that reached the sea during recent eruptions, creating strikingly beautiful black, mineral landscapes.

The black sand beaches of Grande Anse and Manapany, the natural rock pools, the blowhole at Saint-Philippe — so many treasures accessible from your campervan.

Plaine des Cafres, at 1,500 metres altitude, is the crossroads of Réunion's highlands. Cool, misty, green — an unexpected Réunion. Bourg-Murat is the ideal base to set off for the volcano, visit the Cité du Volcan museum, and stock up on supplies.

Further east, the Bélouve forest and the Rivière des Marsouins cliffs offer unique forest hikes. The Nez de Bœuf viewpoint, overlooking Cilaos, is accessible from Plaine des Cafres.