Réunion

FIRST STAMPS ISSUED 1 January 1852; also used French Colonies General Issues (mainly differenced by surcharges 1885-92).
CURRENCY
1852, as France.
Claimed (while still uninhabited) by the French in 1638, named Ile de Bourbon in 1649 and settled in 1650 as a station for French ships en route for India. Renamed Reunion in 1793 (but reverted to Bourbon 1810-48). On 19 March 1946 it ceased to be a colony and became an overseas departement of France; but since it had a local currency not at par with the French franc, it needed overprinted or differentiated stamps until the French metropolitan franc was adopted on 1 January 1975.

Bourbon shared a Royal French postal service with Isle de France in 1773 and had a separate postal administration from 1787. Handstamps were used from 1830. Before 1864 mail is known routed via Mauritius (q.v.), but from 1864 to 1940 Reunion was served by packet-boats direct from Marseille or Aden, via Seychelles or Zanzibar.

Reunion pre1900
Réunion pre 1900
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French Steamers to 1888
French Steamers to 1888
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French Steamers from 1888
French Steamers from 1888
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