La Possession is a commune on Réunion Island, a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean. Situated on the island’s northwestern coast, it lies between the capital city, Saint-Denis, and the commune of Le Port. Established as an independent commune in 1890, La Possession encompasses a significant portion of the Mafate caldera, a dramatic volcanic cirque renowned for its rugged terrain and vibrant biodiversity.    

The town has experienced substantial growth over the past decades, evolving from a modest settlement into a dynamic community with a population exceeding 30,000 residents. This expansion has been accompanied by the development of urban areas, leisure facilities, and the renovation of the city center.  

For visitors, La Possession offers a blend of natural beauty and cultural heritage. The Mafate caldera, largely accessible only by foot or helicopter, provides unparalleled hiking opportunities amidst stunning landscapes. Within the town, historical sites such as the Notre-Dame of the Assumption Church and the 19th-century Lazaretto quarantine station at La Grande Chaloupe offer insights into the area’s rich past.   

Recently, La Possession and the broader Réunion Island have faced challenges due to natural events. In late February 2025, Cyclone Garance struck the island, bringing heavy rains and winds exceeding 200 kilometers per hour. The cyclone caused significant damage, including flooding, power outages affecting approximately 182,000 residents, and disruptions to water supplies. Tragically, the storm resulted in at least four fatalities. 

Our excursion today takes to some unusual stops for a tropical island.   We take our bus up the mountainous center of the island, where fields of sugar cane, geraniums and tamarinds mark our way. Our destination is a marvelous viewpoint on the edge of a high escarpment at 6,000 feet, with a steep drop below. We should have enjoyed a breathtaking vistas down into the ancient crater — the Circle of Mafate — with its villages called îlets. These are the most isolated places on the island; they can only be reached on foot or by helicopter. Instead we saw a lot of clouds as the clouds covered the mountains. 

Next, we stopped at the center of the geranium-growing district. We visited a geranium oil distillery, where the process was shown to us.. The production uses 1,400 pounds of leaves to produce one liter of essence. They turn the essence into exotic oils and perfumes. They were even selling geranium syrup. This was not on Papas list to try as my Mom used to grow a lot of  geraniums are I had no desire to eat them. 

Tonight is our St. Partick’s day celebration. Nana and I are dressed out in green today.

We have 3 sea days coming up and then we stop in Richard’s Bay, Africa