From the garden to the still - The local manufacture of an essential oil

Located on the west coast of the island, La Fontaine Aromatique opened in 2019.

Passionate about history, authenticity, the rural world, flora and fauna, and the expertise and traditions that make up the wealth of our island, Johan embarked on an adventure to renovate an old still, to exclusively distilgeraniums! After months of perseverance and patience, he revealed, “a beautiful antique.” The renovation of the old still took time, energy and expertise but this determination paid off and Johan has now opened the doors to his centre, to share his passion for the distillation of essential oils from native and endemic plants, with us,completely immersing visitors in an authentic world, full of history.


The tour:
• 9:00am: Meet at La Fontaine Aromatique where visitors will be greeted by Johan, a young farmer who is passionate and overflowing with kindness. Visitors will receive a coffee.
• Visit the fields. The immense land is divided into ‘caro’ (a Creole word designating ‘the plots’), where a dozen varieties of Aromatic Plants for Perfumes and Medicines (PAPAM), including niaouli, rosemary, tea-tree, lemongrass, and pink geranium, are grown.
• Return to the centre, to see the copper still, an authentic piece of equipment, renovated by Johan.
• Visitors participate in starting the still. Johan tells the story of this “beautiful antique” and explains how it works.
• Once the still has started, visitors can enjoy a coffee or a syrup, accompanied by delicious homemade treats, flavoured with essential oils of course!
• In the delightful boutique, visitors can browse the whole range of hydrosols and essential oils straight out of the still! Johan will reveal all their benefits and uses to you. There are also many ‘faraway’ objects that will arouse the curiosity of travellers.
• Back to the still. The distillate begins to come out of the cooler, filling the garden with the scent of aromatic plants.
• Then, the 1st drops of the precious oil appear. During the distillation, Johan explains how it is collected and filtered before being bottled.
• A chance to ask questions, then a final visit to the boutique for those final purchases.
• Around 11:30 am: end of the visit

The highlights:
- A unique experience on Reunion Island
- Complete immersion in an authentic world, full of history
- A copper still, typical, even ‘endemic’ to Reunion's heritage and land.
- Artisan essential oils direct from the producer: fields, still, boutique

The provider reserves the right to cancel the outing the day before, if weather conditions are not optimal.
Min. 4 people / max. 15 people
For groups of more than 15, a quote can be requested.

Remember to bring:
Trainers or comfortable footwear, sun cream, hat, anti-mosquito spray and a small bottle of water.

This price includes the guided tour.
This price does not include purchases in the boutique.