Cimetière marin de Saint-Paul, Coastal cemetery in Saint-Paul, Réunion Island, France.
This coastal cemetery in Saint-Paul stretches along the black sand beach of the bay, with pathways lined by coconut palms and frangipani trees. The burial ground sits between the Chaussée Royale and the bay, blending natural coastal landscape with organized grave sections.
Established in 1788, the cemetery contains graves of early French settlers, pirates, sailors, and merchants who shaped Réunion Island's colonial past. The burials document the arrival and settlement of different groups who made the island their home.
The cemetery holds the remains of notable figures including poet Leconte de Lisle, whose ashes were brought from Paris in 1977, and painter Arthur Grimaud. These burials reflect the place's importance as a final resting ground for people who left their mark on the island.
The cemetery is open daily and can be reached by regular bus service from Saint-Denis. The grounds are flat and easy to walk through, offering plenty of space to explore and view the monuments.
Pirate Olivier Levasseur, executed in 1730, allegedly threw a cryptogram into the crowd before his death that might reveal the location of his hidden treasure. This story has drawn treasure hunters for centuries trying to crack the puzzle.
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