Réunion is a French overseas department in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar — politically part of France and the EU, so its mobile market looks European rather than African. The capital Saint-Denis (RUN) and the island’s ring road enjoy strong coverage, and any France/Europe eSIM that lists the French overseas departments will work here.
Networks & coverage
Réunion is served by Orange Réunion, SFR Réunion, Free Réunion and Zeop (Telco OI). Coverage is excellent around Saint-Denis, Saint-Pierre and the coastal RN1/RN2 ring, with 4G/LTE everywhere people live and 5G live in the main urban areas — one of the few destinations in this group where 5G is genuinely usable. Signal weakens in the volcanic interior and the cirques (Mafate, Cilaos, Salazie).
eSIM or physical SIM?
Because Réunion is part of France, a France or Europe travel eSIM is the easiest option — but check that the plan explicitly covers the French overseas departments (DOM), as not all “France” plans include Réunion. A local Orange, SFR, Free or Zeop physical SIM gives generous data at French prices and a real number, with standard EU registration. EU and EEA roaming applies, so a SIM from mainland France or another EU country also works at no extra cost.
Data, calls & messaging
Local French SIMs are full-service, bundling large data allowances with unlimited calls and SMS within France and the EU — far more generous than typical travel eSIMs. Travel eSIMs are usually data-only, with calls over WhatsApp or similar. If you want a number that can call French landlines and mobiles, a local SIM (Free’s €9.99 plan is popular) is excellent value.
How much data do you need?
Thanks to EU-style pricing, data is cheap here. A week of maps and messaging needs only 3–5 GB, but local plans routinely include 100 GB or more for under €20/month, so there is little reason to ration. For streaming, navigation around the island and hotspot use, a local plan with tens of gigabytes is comfortable; a 5–10 GB travel eSIM suits shorter visits that just need reliable data.