In the 1640s, Réunion was occupied by the French, displacing the Portuguese, who in 1513 had been the first European arrivals on the island. The island became prosperous during the 18th century, along with nearby Mauritius, when it lay on the shipping routes which carried trade between Europe and Asia. Sugar plantations, worked by slaves imported from Africa, formed the other main economic sector. Réunion was ruled as a colony until 1946 when it was granted the status of an Overseas Department of France, under which it is an integral part of the French State, which is represented on the island by a commissioner.
Politics in recent years have been primarily concerned with internal autonomy: most people appear to favour an increase beyond the present level but very few support a complete severing of the link with France, particularly as the island is largely dependent economically on aid from the French government.
Much French culture has also seeped into the island's day-to-day life, intermixing with Réunion's African, Indian and Chinese influences, and creating a wonderful tropical twist. The predominant spoken language is French, the architecture leans towards the French models; but this is also a land of volcanoes and cyclone seasons. Equally, French dishes may be on the menu but they are usually subverted: you may well be served duck curry rather than the canard à l'orange you were expecting! It is little wonder that Réunion is a much-kept secret, since the French presumably want to keep this little gem of an island to themselves.
Although this is an island of exceptional and bright turquoise waters, its quantity of sharks mean that swimming and other watersports activities may not be the number-one reason why visitors might want to go to Réunion. Far greater are its stupendous trekking routes across mountain terrain. Cirques – large volcanic valleys surrounded by mountains, creating a natural amphitheatre of about 10km (6 miles) in diameter – sink into the ground, replete with magnificent waterfalls and other natural features.
It is fortunate that Réunion has so many areas of beauty, since this is a densely populated island that, although once flourishing from the cultivation of sugar cane, is now mostly sustained from its tourist industry – plus financial aid from the hands of France. Nevertheless, economic problems persist, and the large wealth gap on the island has often fuelled social tensions, occasionally spilling into actual violence. Unemployment remains stubbornly high, and migration is common. Yet, as long as Réunion seek them, tourists will continue to be drawn to the island's unusual and captivating landscape.
