A brief History...

1507 : The island was discovered by Tristan da Cunha and named Santa Apolonia Island.

1520 : Mauritius, Rodrigues and Santa Apolonia islands were named Islas Mascarenhas (Mascarene Islands) by the Portuguese.

1642 : The island was reached for the first time by the French ship "Le Saint-Louis".

1646 : Twelve mutineers were sent into exile on the island by a governor of Madagascar. These mutineers were found in excellent health two years later, by a delegation which expected them to be dead. France thus found some interest in this island.

1649 : The island was officially claimed by the French in the name of the King of France. The island was named Ile Bourbon.

1665 : The first settlement (governor is Etienne RΘgnault) was governed by the Compagnie des Indes, and located in Saint-Paul, first capital of the island.

1735 : Governor MahΘ de Labourdonnais developped εle de France ( Mauritius ) to the detriment of εle Bourbon, which was too mountainous for cultivation on wide areas. However, coffee, then cloves, nutmeg and vanilla crops were to flourish.

1764 : Bankruptcy of the Compagnie des Indes. The island returned to the King of France.

1792 : The island was renamed εle de la RΘunion (Reunion Island) by the Convention, in memory of the union of the Marseillais with the National Guard for the assault on the Tuileries.

1806 : The island was renamed εle Bonaparte.

1810 : The British took possession of the Mascarene Islands, and again used the name of εle Bourbon for Reunion Island.

1815 : The British gave only εle Bourbon back to the French through the treaty of Paris. Mauritius and Rodrigues remained British.

1830 : Slave trade was abolished

1848 : Le 6/9 - The island took back the name of εle de la RΘunion (Reunion Island) for good.

1848 : 20/12 - Effective aboltion of slavery. This anniversary is now a public holiday in Reunion Island.

1870 : The Suez Canal opened. Reunion Island stopped being a port of call on the way to India and Asia.

1946 : Le 9/3 - Reunion Island became an Overseas Departement of France.

1973 : Le 2/3 - Creation of Reunion Region (Administrative)

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