Saint-Leu (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃ lø]) is a commune in the French overseas department of Réunion. It is located on the west coast of the island of Réunion.

Saint-Leu
Town Hall
Town Hall
Coat of arms of Saint-Leu
Location of Saint-Leu
Map
Coordinates: 21°09′59″S 55°17′13″E / 21.1664°S 55.2869°E / -21.1664; 55.2869
CountryFrance
Overseas region and departmentRéunion
ArrondissementSaint-Paul
CantonSaint-Leu and L'Étang-Salé
IntercommunalityTerritoire de la Côte Ouest
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Bruno Domen[1]
Area
1
118.37 km2 (45.70 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
34,893
 • Density290/km2 (760/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC 04:00
INSEE/Postal code
97413 /97436
Elevation0–2,782 m (0–9,127 ft)
(avg. 4 m or 13 ft)
Websitesaintleu.re
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Geography

edit

Climate

edit

Saint-Leu has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cwa) closely bordering on a subtropical highland climate (Cwb). The average annual temperature in Saint-Leu is 19.2 °C (66.6 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,068.8 mm (42.08 in) with January as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in February, at around 22.2 °C (72.0 °F), and lowest in August, at around 16.4 °C (61.5 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Saint-Leu was 30.9 °C (87.6 °F) on 10 January 2007; the coldest temperature ever recorded was 8.5 °C (47.3 °F) on 10 September 1975.

Climate data for Saint-Leu (altitude 429m, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 2002–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 34.1
(93.4)
33.3
(91.9)
32.8
(91.0)
31.0
(87.8)
29.6
(85.3)
29.0
(84.2)
27.8
(82.0)
27.1
(80.8)
27.9
(82.2)
29.7
(85.5)
31.7
(89.1)
33.1
(91.6)
34.1
(93.4)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 28.0
(82.4)
28.2
(82.8)
27.8
(82.0)
26.9
(80.4)
25.3
(77.5)
23.7
(74.7)
22.9
(73.2)
22.9
(73.2)
23.5
(74.3)
24.5
(76.1)
25.8
(78.4)
27.3
(81.1)
25.6
(78.1)
Daily mean °C (°F) 24.3
(75.7)
24.4
(75.9)
24.0
(75.2)
23.1
(73.6)
21.4
(70.5)
19.8
(67.6)
18.9
(66.0)
18.9
(66.0)
19.4
(66.9)
20.5
(68.9)
21.8
(71.2)
23.4
(74.1)
21.7
(71.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 20.6
(69.1)
20.7
(69.3)
20.3
(68.5)
19.2
(66.6)
17.6
(63.7)
15.9
(60.6)
15.0
(59.0)
14.8
(58.6)
15.3
(59.5)
16.5
(61.7)
17.9
(64.2)
19.5
(67.1)
17.8
(64.0)
Record low °C (°F) 17.4
(63.3)
17.8
(64.0)
16.6
(61.9)
16.0
(60.8)
13.8
(56.8)
12.7
(54.9)
11.9
(53.4)
12.0
(53.6)
12.6
(54.7)
11.3
(52.3)
14.0
(57.2)
16.6
(61.9)
11.3
(52.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 211.9
(8.34)
195.1
(7.68)
178.3
(7.02)
101.7
(4.00)
36.2
(1.43)
38.1
(1.50)
23.3
(0.92)
20.8
(0.82)
25.9
(1.02)
20.5
(0.81)
55.8
(2.20)
90.9
(3.58)
998.5
(39.31)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 12.7 12.1 10.7 7.4 4.5 3.3 3.3 2.5 3.0 3.2 5.4 8.6 76.7
Source: Météo-France[3]
Climate data for Saint-Leu (Mascarin, altitude 520m, 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1992–2016)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 33.3
(91.9)
32.3
(90.1)
32.1
(89.8)
29.6
(85.3)
28.3
(82.9)
29.2
(84.6)
25.3
(77.5)
26.8
(80.2)
26.9
(80.4)
30.1
(86.2)
31.2
(88.2)
32.2
(90.0)
33.3
(91.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 27.6
(81.7)
27.6
(81.7)
27.1
(80.8)
25.9
(78.6)
24.2
(75.6)
22.4
(72.3)
21.6
(70.9)
21.8
(71.2)
22.6
(72.7)
23.5
(74.3)
25.0
(77.0)
26.7
(80.1)
24.7
(76.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) 23.7
(74.7)
23.9
(75.0)
23.2
(73.8)
22.0
(71.6)
20.3
(68.5)
18.5
(65.3)
17.6
(63.7)
17.7
(63.9)
18.4
(65.1)
19.4
(66.9)
20.8
(69.4)
22.6
(72.7)
20.7
(69.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 19.9
(67.8)
20.1
(68.2)
19.3
(66.7)
18.1
(64.6)
16.4
(61.5)
14.5
(58.1)
13.6
(56.5)
13.6
(56.5)
14.2
(57.6)
15.3
(59.5)
16.7
(62.1)
18.6
(65.5)
16.7
(62.1)
Record low °C (°F) 16.8
(62.2)
16.1
(61.0)
16.3
(61.3)
14.1
(57.4)
12.4
(54.3)
11.4
(52.5)
10.0
(50.0)
11.0
(51.8)
10.7
(51.3)
11.4
(52.5)
12.8
(55.0)
15.5
(59.9)
10.0
(50.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 161.6
(6.36)
197.7
(7.78)
124.6
(4.91)
65.4
(2.57)
38.5
(1.52)
27.1
(1.07)
19.1
(0.75)
17.7
(0.70)
18.8
(0.74)
17.7
(0.70)
30.6
(1.20)
90.6
(3.57)
809.4
(31.87)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 10.9 11.2 8.4 6.0 3.9 2.2 2.4 2.5 2.7 3.0 4.7 7.5 65.2
Source: Météo-France[4]
Climate data for Saint-Leu (Colimacons, altitude 798m, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1964–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 30.9
(87.6)
30.0
(86.0)
29.4
(84.9)
28.8
(83.8)
28.1
(82.6)
28.0
(82.4)
25.2
(77.4)
24.6
(76.3)
25.0
(77.0)
28.0
(82.4)
29.9
(85.8)
30.1
(86.2)
30.9
(87.6)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 25.3
(77.5)
25.5
(77.9)
25.1
(77.2)
24.3
(75.7)
22.8
(73.0)
21.1
(70.0)
20.3
(68.5)
20.1
(68.2)
20.5
(68.9)
21.5
(70.7)
22.7
(72.9)
24.3
(75.7)
22.8
(73.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) 21.9
(71.4)
22.2
(72.0)
21.7
(71.1)
20.8
(69.4)
19.2
(66.6)
17.4
(63.3)
16.6
(61.9)
16.4
(61.5)
16.8
(62.2)
17.9
(64.2)
19.2
(66.6)
20.9
(69.6)
19.2
(66.6)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 18.6
(65.5)
18.9
(66.0)
18.4
(65.1)
17.3
(63.1)
15.5
(59.9)
13.8
(56.8)
12.9
(55.2)
12.7
(54.9)
13.2
(55.8)
14.2
(57.6)
15.6
(60.1)
17.4
(63.3)
15.7
(60.3)
Record low °C (°F) 14.6
(58.3)
13.5
(56.3)
14.0
(57.2)
12.5
(54.5)
9.0
(48.2)
10.0
(50.0)
8.8
(47.8)
9.0
(48.2)
8.5
(47.3)
9.7
(49.5)
10.9
(51.6)
13.5
(56.3)
8.5
(47.3)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 240.1
(9.45)
227.5
(8.96)
172.1
(6.78)
78.6
(3.09)
36.1
(1.42)
29.8
(1.17)
20.5
(0.81)
21.6
(0.85)
19.8
(0.78)
32.2
(1.27)
56.6
(2.23)
133.9
(5.27)
1,068.8
(42.08)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 15.1 13.6 11.2 7.4 4.2 2.8 3.1 3.2 3.2 5.2 8.1 11.1 88.1
Mean monthly sunshine hours 133.9 120.7 138.0 141.1 163.9 166.3 172.6 162.2 140.2 129.5 129.2 124.5 1,722.2
Source 1: Météo-France[5]
Source 2: Meteociel.fr (sunshine 1981-2010)[6]

Population

edit
Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1961 16,137—    
1967 16,870 0.74%
1974 17,396 0.44%
1982 18,207 0.57%
1990 20,931 1.76%
1999 25,314 2.13%
2007 29,422 1.90%
2012 32,971 2.30%
2017 33,576 0.36%
Source: SPLAF[7] and INSEE (1967-2017)[8]

Sports

edit

Surf

edit

It is a well-known surf spot. Various surfing competitions have been held in Saint-Leu, including World Qualifying Series (WQS) and ASP World Tour (WCT)[9] competitions. It is well known for its famous left wave.

Paragliding

edit

There is a paragliding base at Colimaçons. Paragliding World Cup races have been held in Saint-Leu in 2003 and 2006, and Pre World Cup Tour race in 2010[10] and 2015.[11] In 2016 the city will held again a Paragliding World Cup race (October 2016).[12]

Points of interest

edit

Neighborhoods of Saint Leu

edit
  • Downtown Saint-Leu
  • Chaloupe Saint-Leu
  • Pointe au Sel
  • Bras Mouton;
  • Bac en fer
  • Cap Saint-Leu
  • La Fontaine
  • L'Etang Saint-Leu
  • La Pointe des Châteaux
  • Les Colimaçons
  • Le Plate
  • Grand Fond
  • Stella Matutina
  • Le Portail
  • Piton Saint-Leu
edit

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires" (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 13 September 2022.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Fiche Climatologique Statistiques 1991-2020 et records" (PDF) (in French). Météo-France. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  4. ^ "Fiche Climatologique Statistiques 1981-2010 et records" (PDF) (in French). Météo-France. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  5. ^ "Fiche Climatologique Statistiques 1991-2020 et records" (PDF) (in French). Météo-France. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  6. ^ "Normales / Moyennes 1981-2010 / Colimacons (974)" (in French). Météo-France. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  7. ^ SPLAF (Site sur la Population et les Limites Administratives de la France). "Agglomérations et villes de la Réunion". Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  8. ^ Population en historique depuis 1968, INSEE
  9. ^ "asphawii FAQ". Archived from the original on 2009-10-30.
  10. ^ "Pre PWC France Reunion Island Saint-Leu 2010 - Paragliding World Cup".
  11. ^ "2015 French Pre World Cup - Reunion Island, St Leu - Paragliding World Cup".
  12. ^ "2016 World Cup - Reunion Island ::: Saint Leu (Max 105 pilots) - Paragliding World Cup".
edit

  Media related to Saint-Leu (Réunion) at Wikimedia Commons