Saint-Denis (Reunion Island)

Saint-Denis is a port city and the capital of La Reunion - an overseas territory of France located in the Indian Ocean. The town is located on Reunion Island's northernmost tip. The country has population around 870,000, of which around 147,000 live in Saint-Denis (metro over 200,000).

Saint-Denis is a tendering cruise port, meaning that cruise ships anchor at sea and transport their passengers ashore via the ship's tender boats. Large-sized cruise liners dock at Le Port (located approx 20 km / 13 mi to the west) and transport their tourists to Saint-Denis via buses.

Le Port (Le Port des Galets) is a port town (population around 35,000) and Reunion's principal harbor (passenger and cargo port). Le Port Town is connected to all other major settlements via a road running along the island's circumference.

Reunion Island (then uninhabited) was discovered by the Europeans (Portuguese) in the early-16th-century (1507). Saint-Denis was founded in 1669 and became Reunion's capital in 1738.

Reunion Island was settled mainly by immigrants from France and slaves from Madagascar (Africa). Slavery on the island was officially abolished on December 20, 1848 (annually celebrated as a national holiday).

The closest airport (Roland Garros) is also Reunion's main international airport. The largest hotels in Saint-Denis are Mercure Creolia, Austral, and Best Western.