La Possession | |
|---|---|
 An aerial view over La Possession and Le Port | |
.svg) Coat of arms | |
 | |
 Location of La Possession | |
| Coordinates:20°55′35″S55°20′09″E / 20.9264°S 55.3358°E /-20.9264; 55.3358 | |
| Country | France |
| Overseas region and department | Réunion |
| Arrondissement | Saint-Paul |
| Canton | La Possession |
| Intercommunality | Territoire de la Côte Ouest |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2020–2026) | Vanessa Miranville[1] |
Area 1 | 118.35 km2 (45.70 sq mi) |
| Population (2022)[2] | 36,390 |
| • Density | 307.5/km2 (796.4/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+04:00 |
| INSEE/Postal code | 97408 /97419 |
| Elevation | 0–2,940 m (0–9,646 ft) (avg. 17 m or 56 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
La Possession (French pronunciation:[lapɔsesjɔ̃]ⓘ) is acommune in theFrenchoverseas department ofRéunion. It is located in the northwestern part of the island of Réunion, between the capital ofSaint-Denis and the commune ofLe Port.
To the territory of this commune belongs the major part of theCirque ofMafate, a caldera of the dormantPiton des Neiges volcano. It is part of theRéunion National Park.
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The territory of the commune of La Possession belonged to the commune ofSaint-Paul until 1895.
In 1675, the first settlements were led by Jean Marquet (a creek was named for him). In 1699, sugar cane concessions were attributed to Texer de Mota, a Portuguese from India.
From 1730-1767, construction ofChemin Crémont created the first paved walkway to the capitalSaint-Denis. In 1797, the Rivière des Galets concession was attributed to Dr Rivière.
In 1833, a chapel was constructed, later replaced by a church. 1834: Still belonging to the commune ofSaint-Paul, Réunion, the territory of the futur commune becomes special section. From 1849–1854,La route de la Montagne (Mountain road) was built; the first reliable road connection toSaint-Denis.
In 1860, the lazaret ofLa Grande Chaloupe was constructed, which became the quarantine station ofRéunion. In 1882 the railwaySaint-Denis -Saint-Pierre and the harbour ofLe Port were constructed. In 1886 the first steamers enter the newPointe des Galets harbour. 1890 saw the creation of the La Possession commune. In 1895, part of the territory at thePointe des Galets was split off to become the commune ofLe Port.
The new coastal highway toSaint-Denis was built between 1956 and 1963.[3]
TheHôtel de Ville was completed in 1967 and enlarged in 1975.[4]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 6,783 | — |
| 1967 | 7,626 | +1.97% |
| 1974 | 10,112 | +4.11% |
| 1982 | 11,002 | +1.06% |
| 1990 | 15,614 | +4.47% |
| 1999 | 21,904 | +3.83% |
| 2007 | 27,175 | +2.73% |
| 2012 | 30,653 | +2.44% |
| 2017 | 33,020 | +1.50% |
| Source: SPLAF[5] and INSEE (1967-2017)[6] | ||
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Most of the caldera ofMafate belongs to the commune. Hiking trails connect Dos d'Âne via the river valley ofRivière des Galets toGrand Place and other îlets. Other trails connect La Possession to Saint-Denis, viaLa Grande Chaloupe.
At La Grande Chaloupe the partly restoredlazaretto and the former train station can be visited. They have exhibitions about the history of the Réunion railroad, the lazaretto and indentured servitude in Réunion.
La Possession has asubtropical highland climate (Köppen climate classificationCwb). The average annual temperature in La Possession is 18.1 °C (64.6 °F). The average annual rainfall is 1,376.0 mm (54.17 in) with February as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in February, at around 21.6 °C (70.9 °F), and lowest in July, at around 14.7 °C (58.5 °F). The highest temperature ever recorded in La Possession was 31.4 °C (88.5 °F) on 2 March 2010; the coldest temperature ever recorded was 4.5 °C (40.1 °F) on 29 July 1986.
| Climate data for La Possession(Dos d'Ane, altitude 915m, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1966–2014) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 30.2 (86.4) | 30.8 (87.4) | 31.4 (88.5) | 29.5 (85.1) | 28.5 (83.3) | 26.9 (80.4) | 25.4 (77.7) | 25.6 (78.1) | 26.5 (79.7) | 28.6 (83.5) | 30.2 (86.4) | 31.1 (88.0) | 31.4 (88.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 25.7 (78.3) | 25.8 (78.4) | 25.4 (77.7) | 24.3 (75.7) | 22.9 (73.2) | 21.0 (69.8) | 19.8 (67.6) | 20.1 (68.2) | 20.5 (68.9) | 21.6 (70.9) | 23.1 (73.6) | 24.7 (76.5) | 22.9 (73.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 21.3 (70.3) | 21.6 (70.9) | 20.9 (69.6) | 19.7 (67.5) | 18.1 (64.6) | 15.9 (60.6) | 14.7 (58.5) | 15.0 (59.0) | 15.4 (59.7) | 16.6 (61.9) | 18.1 (64.6) | 20.0 (68.0) | 18.1 (64.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 16.9 (62.4) | 17.3 (63.1) | 16.5 (61.7) | 15.0 (59.0) | 13.3 (55.9) | 10.9 (51.6) | 9.7 (49.5) | 9.9 (49.8) | 10.4 (50.7) | 11.5 (52.7) | 13.1 (55.6) | 15.2 (59.4) | 13.3 (55.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 11.5 (52.7) | 12.0 (53.6) | 11.0 (51.8) | 8.9 (48.0) | 8.0 (46.4) | 5.4 (41.7) | 4.5 (40.1) | 6.0 (42.8) | 5.7 (42.3) | 6.8 (44.2) | 7.2 (45.0) | 10.5 (50.9) | 4.5 (40.1) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 343.4 (13.52) | 343.5 (13.52) | 241.1 (9.49) | 80.6 (3.17) | 48.5 (1.91) | 28.5 (1.12) | 14.4 (0.57) | 20.8 (0.82) | 22.6 (0.89) | 27.0 (1.06) | 52.2 (2.06) | 153.4 (6.04) | 1,376 (54.17) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) | 14.2 | 13.5 | 11.6 | 8.3 | 6.2 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 4.7 | 6.6 | 10.2 | 90.0 |
| Source:Météo-France[7] | |||||||||||||
Threecollèges and onelycée support the commune:
Port Louis (Mauritius)
Villeneuve-d'Ascq (Metropolitan-France)
Antanifotsy (Madagascar)
Foshan (China)
Barakani (Anjouan - Comoros)
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| National | |
| Other | |
