Saint-Pierre History

Known as the capital of southern Reunion Island, the city of Saint-Pierre was created in 1735. The city benefits from a wide seafront developed for seaside tourism and a port fully integrated into the life of the city, particularly active for yachting and deep-sea and traditional fishing. The town of Saint-Pierre is the second largest town in Reunion Island, after Saint-Denis. However, it is agriculture which was the origin of the settlement of the town, with the cultivation of coffee plants (long before sugar cane) and the export of the famous pointed coffee to the metropolis. It is a lively city, which has not stopped developing over the last few decades. Its attractive waterfront and city centre are home to restaurants, a casino, hotels, nightclubs and piano bars. A popular fairground market also takes place every Saturday morning on part of the city’s waterfront. Among the annual events not to be missed on the island, Saint Pierre hosts the music festivals “Sakifo” and “Les Francofolies” as well as the start of the Grand Raid. Saint-Pierre has a Fortis fortuna fortior motto, “Valour is stronger than fortune”, a motto that represents the city well.