Bel Air tunnel

In 2016, the Sainte-Suzanne railway tunnel, built between 1879 and 1880, was identified and its position determined during field walking surveys. Discovered on a Réunion railway exploratory mission, these remains are among the oldest railway works still visible today.

The Bel-Air railway tunnel in Sainte-Suzanne: a history

The Bel Air lighthouse stands on a cliffside in Sainte-Suzanne. Entering into service in 1846, at nightfall it still casts its beam of light over the ocean to warn boats and ships of impending danger. A symbol of the Bel Air district and the town of Sainte-Suzanne, the lighthouse attests to the island’s history and maritime past. Fully automated since 1987, the Bel-Air lighthouse continues to guide sailors to this day. During the construction of the railway, the C^ie du Chemin de fer et du Port de la Réunion (C.P.R.) cut a tunnel before and beneath the lighthouse between 1879 and 1880. The 45-metre tunnel opens into a cutting dug by railway workers. The Sainte-Suzanne tunnel and cutting were regularly checked by the maintenance teams of the first rail district, spanning Km 0 to Km 41. Like the large tunnels between Saint-Denis and La Possession, this small tunnel was dug to dimensions determined by the company’s engineers.

Field walking surveys

The Bel-Air tunnel and lighthouse in Sainte-Suzanne are on the Sentier Littoral Nord (the northern coastal path) used by walkers and cyclists between Saint-Denis and Sainte-Suzanne and provides a lasting reminder of the railway age on Réunion (1882-1963). The tunnel walls were originally natural and carved into the rock. It was only decades later that masonry was added to the two openings and interior. People walking or cycling along the Sentier Littoral Nord today are able to pass through this former railway tunnel in complete safety.