France. The same regulations apply as for imports from non-EU countries. More information is available from Countryaah.com.
Contact addresses
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Réunion is a French overseas department (DOM), diplomatic responsibility lies with the French embassies (contact addresses see France ).
Business
Business etiquette
Relaxed and friendly atmosphere; Suit or costume for high-level business meetings only. Good knowledge of French is essential – formal translation services are not available. All sales documentation should be in French. Business hours: Mon-Fri 08.00-12.00 and 14.00-18.00.
Business contacts
Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie de la Réunion (Chamber of Commerce and Industry)5 Rue de Paris, BP 120, 97463 Saint-PaulTel: 33 35 15. Internet: www.reunion.cci.frAgence de Développement de la RéunionInternet: www. adreunion.com Délégation Régionale au Commerce, à l’Artisanat et au TourismePréfecture de la Réunion, 97400 Saint-DenisTel: 40 77 58.
Communication
Phone
Autodial Long Distance Service. The telephone network is fully automated and connected to France and abroad by satellite. Telephone cards are available at the post office or kiosk. For information dial 12.
Mobile phone
GSM 900/1800. According to Abbreviationfinder.org, network operators are France Telecom (GSM 900/1800; Internet: www.ftm-run.com), Orange Reunion (Internet: www.orange.re) and Société Reunionnaise (Internet: www.srr.fr). Most tourist sites are covered by cellular network, such as Vulkan, Mafate, Rivière des Remparts and Cilaos.
Internet
There are internet cafes in all cities.
Post office
Airmail to Europe takes up to three weeks. Poste restante items can be sent to Saint-Denis.
Radio
Since the use of shortwave frequencies changes several times over the course of a year, it is advisable to contact Deutsche Welle customer service directly for the current frequencies (Tel: (+49) (0228) 429 32 08. Internet: www.dw-world.de) to request.
Attractions
Saint Denis
In the capital, Saint-Denis, there is a family temple, a mosque, two Chinese temples and a cathedral. Plan a visit to the Natural History Museum and the Leon Dierx Art Gallery (French Impressionist Collection).
Excursions: The area around the city offers a whole range of interesting excursion destinations, such as the Plaine d’Affouches in La Montagne
, which is overgrown with tamarinds, calumets and affouches, a type of wild fig tree. Another road leads to the Brûlé. There is a hiking trail here that takes several hours to reach Roche-Ecrite, a 2227m peak dominating the entire northern part of the island, and the Malfate and Salazie cirques falls off. A special feature of Réunion are the so-called cirques; Cirques, each about 10 km in diameter, carved into the rock by time and erosion: Mafate to the north-west, Salazie to the north-east and Cilaos to the south. Some tour operators in Saint-Denis offer day trips to the cirques.
