The Lighthouse tower: a 360° view

Currently undergoing works, the Lighthouse is temporarily closed to the public.

Built in 1845, it is the first lighthouse built in Reunion. A second one was built much later at the port of La Pointe des Galets, which disappear in the 1970s due to marine erosion. The Sainte-Suzanne lighthouse is therefore unique on the island. Even more extraordinary: it is still active! We therefore invite you to climb the century-old stairs of this Historic Monument, to benefit from a 360° panorama over the entire North-East coast of the island.

You enter the building and pass through the rooms on the ground floor. This is where the last lighthouse keeper lived until his retirement in 1984. Since then, the operation of the lantern has been fully automated. Then begins the ascent of the 73-step spiral staircase! Take your time to avoid the feeling of dizziness! On the last steps, the space is greatly reduced and the steps become tiny. Visitors must then contort themselves to reach the top and finally access the famous tower.

The natural promontory which hosts the Bel Air Lighthouse, in Sainte-Suzanne, accentuates this feeling of height which takes over you when you go outside into the open airIndeed, if the tower is “only” 20 meters high, you nevertheless find yourself more than 40 meters above sea level.

The view of the mountains and e Le Piton des Neiges is striking. In the water, the two reefs called the Cousin and the Marianne create white foam. It is precisely to avoid shipwrecks on these two shoals that the lighthouse was erected at this location.