A film and sound team of 7 plus popular travel show presenter Raphael de Casabianca just left the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion where they spent 10 days to cover the attractions for a 90-minute documentary film which will make its way into prime time television on the French mainland through Channel 5 on March 1 next year. Raphael first climbed the Piton Chisny together with his hiking guide, Fred, who showed him and the film team the wildest corners of the island, in particular in the rugged and hard to access interior.
The film will portray Reunion Island as a destination for the lovers of the great outdoors, among other attractions, showcasing the 32-kilometer-long trail “Trans-Dimitile,” a challenging hike with over 2,000 meters in elevation difference to be mastered. The team then went canyoning, another high-profile activity on the island.
Exploring the ocean and shorelines was also high on the agenda, and Raphael went on to discover the little fishing port of St. Peter before going diving to check out the underwater world which awaits visitors coming for that purpose. Markets, art, and cultural experiences were also on the program, and the film team was able to enjoy “Maloya” – recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and even met the Elliara family which to this day manufactures the instruments.
Farming for vanilla and sugar cane and the subsequent processing of the vanilla as well as the making of rum also made its way into the program as was a tour into the secrets of flora and fauna on the island. Finally, the Creole cuisine part of the discoveries the film team made, sampling the unique blend of tastes and colors in the way haute cuisine presents itself on Reunion Island, was relished.
Tourism sources on the island expect a rise in demand for island vacations when the film debuts. For added details on Destination Reunion, click on www.reunion.fr