Saint-Paul, Réunion

Saint-Paul
Subprefecture and commune
A view over the town centre and the gulf of Saint-Paul
A view over the town centre and the gulf of Saint-Paul
Coat of arms of Saint-Paul
Coat of arms
Location of Saint-Paul
Map
Coordinates: 21°00′35″S 55°16′11″E / 21.0097°S 55.2697°E / -21.0097; 55.2697
CountryFrance
Overseas region and departmentRéunion
ArrondissementSaint-Paul
Canton3 cantons
IntercommunalityTerritoire de la Côte Ouest
Government
 • Mayor (2021–2026) Emmanuel Seraphin[1]
Area
1
241.28 km2 (93.16 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[2]
105,240
 • Density440/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+04:00
INSEE/Postal code
97415 /97460
Elevation0–2,955 m (0–9,695 ft)
(avg. 4 m or 13 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Saint-Paul (French pronunciation: [sɛ̃ pɔl] ⓘ) is the second-largest commune in the French overseas department of Réunion. It is located on the extreme west side of the island of Réunion.

Until 1999, near Saint Paul there was the 428-metre (1,404 ft) tall mast OMEGA Chabrier transmitter.

Population

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1961 35,528—    
1967 43,129+3.28%
1974 52,554+2.86%
1982 58,412+1.33%
1990 71,669+2.59%
1999 87,712+2.27%
2007 101,023+1.78%
2012 104,646+0.71%
2017 104,519−0.02%
Source: SPLAF[3] and INSEE (1967-2017)[4]

Transport

Saint-Paul was to be the western terminus of the proposed Réunion Tram Train. However, the project was abandoned in May 2010 due to a lack of funds.

The traditional grave of French pirate Olivier Levasseur, nicknamed La Buse ("The Buzzard") or La Bouche ("The Mouth"), who was most famous for allegedly hiding one of the biggest treasures in pirate history, estimated at over £1 billion, is located in Saint-Paul's Cimetière marin de Saint-Paul cemetery. Besides pirates, the cemetery also serves as the permanent resting place of poets Leconte de Lisle and Eugène Dayot, as well as the painter Arthur Grimaud.

Geography

Saint-Gilles

Climate

Saint-Paul has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw), closely bordering on a hot semi-arid climate (BSh). The average annual temperature in Saint-Paul is 25.3 °C (77.5 °F). The average annual rainfall is 482.3 mm (18.99 in) with January as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in February, at around 28.2 °C (82.8 °F), and lowest in July, at around 22.3 °C (72.1 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in Saint-Paul was 37.0 °C (98.6 °F) on 25 January 2019; the coldest temperature ever recorded was 15.1 °C (59.2 °F) on 14 August 1991.

Climate data for Saint-Paul (Pointe des Trois-Bassins, altitude 5m, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1987–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 37.0
(98.6) 		35.4
(95.7) 		35.7
(96.3) 		34.9
(94.8) 		32.4
(90.3) 		31.3
(88.3) 		29.7
(85.5) 		29.7
(85.5) 		31.1
(88.0) 		32.6
(90.7) 		34.8
(94.6) 		35.7
(96.3) 		37.0
(98.6)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 31.6
(88.9) 		31.7
(89.1) 		31.2
(88.2) 		30.3
(86.5) 		28.5
(83.3) 		26.8
(80.2) 		25.9
(78.6) 		26.1
(79.0) 		26.7
(80.1) 		28.0
(82.4) 		29.4
(84.9) 		30.9
(87.6) 		28.9
(84.0)
Daily mean °C (°F) 28.1
(82.6) 		28.2
(82.8) 		27.6
(81.7) 		26.7
(80.1) 		24.9
(76.8) 		23.2
(73.8) 		22.3
(72.1) 		22.4
(72.3) 		23.0
(73.4) 		24.2
(75.6) 		25.7
(78.3) 		27.3
(81.1) 		25.3
(77.5)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 24.6
(76.3) 		24.6
(76.3) 		24.1
(75.4) 		23.1
(73.6) 		21.4
(70.5) 		19.7
(67.5) 		18.7
(65.7) 		18.7
(65.7) 		19.3
(66.7) 		20.5
(68.9) 		21.9
(71.4) 		23.6
(74.5) 		21.7
(71.1)
Record low °C (°F) 21.3
(70.3) 		20.9
(69.6) 		20.5
(68.9) 		19.1
(66.4) 		17.5
(63.5) 		16.0
(60.8) 		15.6
(60.1) 		15.1
(59.2) 		15.8
(60.4) 		16.3
(61.3) 		16.8
(62.2) 		19.5
(67.1) 		15.1
(59.2)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 109.1
(4.30) 		101.3
(3.99) 		84.1
(3.31) 		45.9
(1.81) 		21.7
(0.85) 		15.3
(0.60) 		7.8
(0.31) 		7.7
(0.30) 		4.7
(0.19) 		8.0
(0.31) 		18.2
(0.72) 		58.5
(2.30) 		482.3
(18.99)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 6.7 6.9 5.6 3.4 2.3 1.4 1.1 1.1 1.0 1.3 2.3 4.3 37.3
Source: Météo France[5]
Climate data for Saint-Paul, (L'Ermitage - Cirad, altitude 147m, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 2002–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 35.4
(95.7) 		35.6
(96.1) 		35.7
(96.3) 		34.6
(94.3) 		32.0
(89.6) 		30.4
(86.7) 		29.6
(85.3) 		30.0
(86.0) 		30.9
(87.6) 		32.4
(90.3) 		34.4
(93.9) 		36.0
(96.8) 		36.0
(96.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 31.5
(88.7) 		31.6
(88.9) 		31.3
(88.3) 		30.6
(87.1) 		28.6
(83.5) 		27.1
(80.8) 		26.4
(79.5) 		26.7
(80.1) 		27.3
(81.1) 		28.6
(83.5) 		29.9
(85.8) 		31.4
(88.5) 		29.2
(84.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) 27.0
(80.6) 		27.0
(80.6) 		26.5
(79.7) 		25.7
(78.3) 		23.8
(74.8) 		22.3
(72.1) 		21.5
(70.7) 		21.6
(70.9) 		22.2
(72.0) 		23.5
(74.3) 		24.9
(76.8) 		26.5
(79.7) 		24.4
(75.9)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 22.4
(72.3) 		22.4
(72.3) 		21.8
(71.2) 		20.8
(69.4) 		19.0
(66.2) 		17.4
(63.3) 		16.6
(61.9) 		16.6
(61.9) 		17.2
(63.0) 		18.4
(65.1) 		19.9
(67.8) 		21.5
(70.7) 		19.5
(67.1)
Record low °C (°F) 19.2
(66.6) 		19.2
(66.6) 		18.0
(64.4) 		17.5
(63.5) 		14.1
(57.4) 		13.3
(55.9) 		13.1
(55.6) 		12.8
(55.0) 		14.2
(57.6) 		13.1
(55.6) 		16.1
(61.0) 		18.4
(65.1) 		12.8
(55.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 138.4
(5.45) 		117.3
(4.62) 		112.6
(4.43) 		54.6
(2.15) 		25.1
(0.99) 		21.8
(0.86) 		8.3
(0.33) 		9.3
(0.37) 		7.4
(0.29) 		10.7
(0.42) 		28.4
(1.12) 		63.8
(2.51) 		597.7
(23.53)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 8.8 8.2 7.0 4.3 2.9 1.8 1.3 1.2 1.5 1.9 3.1 5.6 47.5
Source: Météo-France[6]
Climate data for Saint-Paul (Bois de Nefles, altitude 595m, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 2002–present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 34.4
(93.9) 		34.0
(93.2) 		33.3
(91.9) 		31.5
(88.7) 		30.9
(87.6) 		28.7
(83.7) 		28.6
(83.5) 		28.4
(83.1) 		29.5
(85.1) 		30.8
(87.4) 		32.3
(90.1) 		33.6
(92.5) 		34.4
(93.9)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 28.7
(83.7) 		28.7
(83.7) 		28.4
(83.1) 		27.9
(82.2) 		26.5
(79.7) 		24.9
(76.8) 		24.0
(75.2) 		24.0
(75.2) 		24.1
(75.4) 		25.1
(77.2) 		26.4
(79.5) 		28.0
(82.4) 		26.4
(79.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) 23.8
(74.8) 		23.9
(75.0) 		23.6
(74.5) 		22.7
(72.9) 		21.1
(70.0) 		19.4
(66.9) 		18.5
(65.3) 		18.4
(65.1) 		18.7
(65.7) 		19.8
(67.6) 		21.2
(70.2) 		22.8
(73.0) 		21.2
(70.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 19.0
(66.2) 		19.2
(66.6) 		18.7
(65.7) 		17.6
(63.7) 		15.7
(60.3) 		13.9
(57.0) 		13.0
(55.4) 		12.9
(55.2) 		13.3
(55.9) 		14.5
(58.1) 		16.0
(60.8) 		17.7
(63.9) 		16.0
(60.8)
Record low °C (°F) 15.7
(60.3) 		15.3
(59.5) 		15.5
(59.9) 		13.8
(56.8) 		11.6
(52.9) 		10.9
(51.6) 		9.6
(49.3) 		9.8
(49.6) 		10.4
(50.7) 		8.8
(47.8) 		11.8
(53.2) 		14.2
(57.6) 		8.8
(47.8)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 252.2
(9.93) 		249.7
(9.83) 		175.4
(6.91) 		74.0
(2.91) 		39.8
(1.57) 		23.0
(0.91) 		13.0
(0.51) 		15.1
(0.59) 		20.9
(0.82) 		23.3
(0.92) 		53.3
(2.10) 		123.9
(4.88) 		1,063.6
(41.87)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 13.3 12.9 11.1 7.0 5.4 2.8 2.5 3.0 3.4 3.7 6.3 9.9 81.3
Source: Météo-France[7]
Climate data for Saint-Paul (Piton-Maido, altitude 2150m, 1991–2020 averages, extremes 1998−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 25.0
(77.0) 		22.7
(72.9) 		23.1
(73.6) 		21.5
(70.7) 		20.0
(68.0) 		22.4
(72.3) 		20.1
(68.2) 		22.3
(72.1) 		22.0
(71.6) 		25.0
(77.0) 		23.8
(74.8) 		23.7
(74.7) 		25.0
(77.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 17.6
(63.7) 		17.8
(64.0) 		17.7
(63.9) 		17.2
(63.0) 		15.5
(59.9) 		13.9
(57.0) 		13.1
(55.6) 		13.4
(56.1) 		14.2
(57.6) 		15.8
(60.4) 		16.4
(61.5) 		17.2
(63.0) 		15.8
(60.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) 14.6
(58.3) 		14.8
(58.6) 		14.6
(58.3) 		13.8
(56.8) 		11.9
(53.4) 		10.1
(50.2) 		9.3
(48.7) 		9.4
(48.9) 		10.2
(50.4) 		11.8
(53.2) 		12.7
(54.9) 		13.8
(56.8) 		12.3
(54.1)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 11.6
(52.9) 		11.8
(53.2) 		11.5
(52.7) 		10.4
(50.7) 		8.3
(46.9) 		6.3
(43.3) 		5.5
(41.9) 		5.4
(41.7) 		6.2
(43.2) 		7.9
(46.2) 		9.0
(48.2) 		10.3
(50.5) 		8.7
(47.7)
Record low °C (°F) 4.1
(39.4) 		4.5
(40.1) 		5.9
(42.6) 		4.0
(39.2) 		1.4
(34.5) 		−0.6
(30.9) 		−0.4
(31.3) 		−1.1
(30.0) 		0.0
(32.0) 		0.7
(33.3) 		1.1
(34.0) 		4.1
(39.4) 		−1.1
(30.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 378.6
(14.91) 		293.8
(11.57) 		280.6
(11.05) 		88.9
(3.50) 		44.7
(1.76) 		32.0
(1.26) 		26.6
(1.05) 		22.1
(0.87) 		29.8
(1.17) 		27.0
(1.06) 		55.2
(2.17) 		126.5
(4.98) 		1,405.8
(55.35)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) 14.9 13.5 12.1 8.1 6.3 4.1 3.9 3.3 4.2 3.5 5.9 10.1 89.8
Source: Météo France[8]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 9 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Populations légales 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  3. ^ SPLAF (la Population et les Limites Administratives de la France). "Agglomérations et villes de la Réunion" [Towns and cities of Reunion Island]. Retrieved 23 February 2021.
  4. ^ "Évolution et structure de la population en 2017 − Commune de Saint-Paul (97415) | Insee". www.insee.fr. Retrieved 2023-03-12.
  5. ^ "climate of Pointe des Trois-Bassins 1991-2020" (PDF) (in French). Météo-France. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  6. ^ "Fiche Climatologique Statistiques 1991-2020 et records" (PDF) (in French). Météo-France. Retrieved August 29, 2022.
  7. ^ "Fiche Climatologique Statistiques 1991-2020 et records" (PDF) (in French). Météo-France. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
  8. ^ "climate of Piton-Maido 1991-2020" (PDF) (in French). Météo-France. Retrieved August 28, 2022.
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Wikisource has the text of the 1905 New International Encyclopedia article "Saint-Paul".