Just five minutes from the residence lies the only site on Réunion where salt is still harvested. At Pointe au Sel, seawater is pumped up to an elevated basin, then flows down from terrace to terrace under the sun until only the crystals remain.
This tradition dates back to 1704 and is chronicled in the small museum housed in the former drying shed: admission is free, it’s open Tuesday through Sunday, and a visit takes about thirty minutes. The rest of your time is spent outdoors, surrounded by the yellow savanna, black basalt, and turquoise ocean, with the Bassin Caverne below offering a chance to cool off. Be sure to bring a hat and a bottle of water—the rocks heat up quickly and shade is scarce. Between June and October, keep an eye on the open sea: humpback whales pass right by.
