Réunion in 7 Days: The Perfect Road Trip Itinerary

Réunion looks tiny on a map: a full loop of the coast is barely more than 200 km. But don't trust the distances, trust the clock. Mountain roads pile on hairpins and 15% gradients, and a single downpour can slow everything to a crawl. The golden rule: don't chase kilometres, follow the island's own logic.

That logic is straightforward. The west coast, dry and sunny, is for beaches and the lagoon. The south is the volcano and the wild coastline. The cirques (Cilaos, Salazie) are dead ends: one road up, a night at the top, then back down the same way. Our route strings it all together in one big anticlockwise sweep, without ever needlessly doubling back.

• The car: go for at least a 1.2-litre engine, as the climbs into the highlands are steep. Pick up your car straight from Roland Garros airport so you're independent the moment you land.
• Start early: up high (Maïdo, the volcano), the sky is clear at dawn and often clouds over by late morning as the mist rises. A washout at 11am would have been magical at 7am.
• Fuel up on the coast. Petrol stations thin out with altitude, and in Mafate there are none at all.

One last tip: book your car several weeks ahead in high season, and have a look at our guide on when to visit Réunion to pin down your dates. Ready? Let's go.

You land at Roland Garros, in Sainte-Marie, right next door to Saint-Denis. The island's capital is just 10-15 minutes away: perfect for a first half-day that doesn't involve much time behind the wheel after a long flight.

Stroll along the Barachois, the seafront with its old cannons facing the ocean, then head up rue de Paris and its splendid bourgeois Creole houses. Drop into the Grand Marché for a first taste of spices, vanilla and Malagasy crafts. This is where the local "péi" atmosphere really hits you.

In the late afternoon, take the west-coast road via the route du littoral (the great viaduct running along the foot of the cliff), then the route des Tamarins. Allow 45 minutes to an hour to reach Saint-Gilles-les-Bains, your base for the next few nights. Be warned, this stretch gets busy at rush hour: travel before or after the worst of it.

Tip: turn the jet lag to your advantage. On your first morning you'll wake up early without even trying — exactly what the rest of the programme calls for.

An easy day on the leeward coast, the sunniest side of the island. Start early at the lagoon at l'Ermitage or la Saline-les-Bains: turquoise water, brightly coloured fish and plenty of snorkelling. It's also the best place to lay down a towel with the family.

A word of honesty, and it matters here: on Réunion, swimming in the open sea is restricted because of the shark risk. You swim only in the lagoon (l'Ermitage, la Saline, Saint-Leu, Saint-Pierre) and in supervised, secured areas such as Boucan Canot, which is protected by a net and shark spotters. Outside those zones, enjoy the beach but stay out of the water. This isn't paranoia, it's the local rule, and it is taken seriously.

In the afternoon, work your way up the coast: the cove at Boucan Canot, the viewpoint at Cap La Houssaye, or further south the bay of Saint-Leu, famous for its sunsets and its paragliding launch site. End the day with a cocktail in hand as the ocean turns orange.

Want to dig deeper? Our guide to the most beautiful beaches on Réunion covers every cove and where you can swim safely.

A very early start: this is THE morning not to miss. Maïdo (2,200 m) is a dizzying balcony looking straight down into the cirque of Mafate, a roadless amphitheatre reachable only on foot or by helicopter. From the west coast, allow around 1 hour to 1 hour 15 for the climb via Le Guillaume and Petite France.

Timing is everything: be at the top before 8am. From 9-10am, cloud rises out of the cirque and swallows the view entirely. Get up at 5am if you have to — you won't regret it. The sunrise setting the ramparts of Mafate alight is the kind of image you never forget. Access and parking at the viewpoint are free.

On the way back down, treat yourself in Saint-Leu: visit Kélonia, the sea turtle observatory, or the Stella Matutina sugar museum. If you happen to be there on a Friday or Saturday, the big Saint-Paul seafront market is well worth the detour for fruit, rougail and samosas.

Walkers will find several magnificent trails setting off from Maïdo towards the Grand Bénare: see our pick of the finest hikes on the island.

A complete change of world. You leave the coast to climb into the first cirque, Cilaos, on the legendary RN5, nicknamed the "road of 400 bends". From Saint-Louis, allow roughly 1 hour 15 of driving for 35 km, not counting photo stops.

The road is a spectacle in itself, but you have to earn it: hairpin turns, narrow sections where two cars simply can't pass, and three single-lane tunnels where you sound your horn before entering. Take it slowly, pull into the proper lay-bys, and enjoy it. Never park just anywhere on the verge.

Up there at 1,200 m, Cilaos welcomes you with crisp air and mountain scenery. On the agenda:

• The Roche Merveilleuse viewpoint, a balcony over the whole cirque.
• The thermal baths and their naturally hot water, perfect for tired legs.
• Local specialities: Cilaos lentils, local wine and embroidery.

Spend the night up here: the evening and early-morning light on the ramparts is superb, and it saves you driving 400 bends back down in the dark.

Back down from Cilaos to Saint-Louis, then due south to Saint-Pierre before heading up the RN3 towards the Plaines. It's a longish day in the car, but what a destination: the Piton de la Fournaise, one of the most active volcanoes on the planet.

The volcano road starts at Bourg-Murat, in the highlands above Le Tampon, and climbs to the car park at Pas de Bellecombe (2,300 m). Two stops along the way are non-negotiable: the Nez de Bœuf, a vertiginous lookout over the Rivière des Remparts, and above all the Plaine des Sables, a 15 km track across a desert of red ash straight out of Mars. An ordinary car handles it perfectly well in dry weather.

Once again, set off early: the site often clouds over by late morning. From Pas de Bellecombe, a path drops into the crater basin towards the small Formica Leo cone (an easy walk); the fitter among you can push on to the summit of Dolomieu, around 5 hours there and back over 13 km. Always check that access hasn't been closed for an eruption or bad weather before driving up.

Pack a jumper and water: it can be chilly and windy up there even when it's 28°C on the beach an hour below.

Today you follow the windward coast: greener, rawer, more authentic. From Saint-Pierre, head east through the Sud sauvage (the wild south):

• Grand Anse: a golden-sand beach fringed with coconut palms, with a purpose-built pool for swimming (the sea outside the pool is dangerous, so follow the signs).
• Cap Méchant: black basalt cliffs hammered by the waves — spectacular.
• Notre-Dame des Laves at Piton Sainte-Rose: the church the 1977 lava flow parted around without ever entering. Astonishing.
• L'Anse des Cascades: a coconut grove where waterfalls tumble straight off the cliff. A little corner of paradise.

You then drive on past vast sugar cane fields to Saint-Benoît. If you fancy it, a detour towards Takamaka or Grand Étang serves up lush valleys and waterfalls. This coast catches far more rain: keep a waterproof within reach, though the showers blow through quickly. Sleep in the east so you're well placed for tomorrow.

To finish in style, head for the greenest cirque on the island: Salazie. From Saint-André, the D48 climbs in about thirty minutes through a valley dripping with waterfalls. The most famous of them, the Voile de la Mariée (the Bride's Veil), can be admired straight from the road just past the village of Salazie: its slender ribbons of water spill hundreds of metres down the rampart.

Carry on to Hell-Bourg, listed among the most beautiful villages in France. Its colourful Creole houses, flower-filled gardens and the Maison Folio plunge you into the Réunion of a century ago. Try chouchou (chayote), the local star vegetable cooked here in every imaginable way.

In the afternoon, drop gently back down to Saint-André and on to the airport: allow around 1 hour. Return your car with a full tank and your camera nicely full too.

And there you have it: in 7 days you've seen ocean and desert, beach and seas of cloud, volcano and rainforest. The thread running through all of it? Your car, which opened every door on the island at your own pace. To plan yours, compare vehicles and pick-up points on Tropiloc, and find more ideas in our guide to what to do on Réunion. Have a great trip, and bon péi!