Réunion is the French overseas department in the Indian Ocean that contains Piton de la Fournaise. The island lies in the Mascarene archipelago, east of Madagascar, and is both a French department and an overseas region of France.
Piton de la Fournaise, meaning “Peak of the Furnace,” is a broad shield volcano occupying much of Réunion’s southeastern side. It rises to about 2,631 metres and is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth, with eruptions occurring repeatedly in the modern era. Most eruptions take place inside or near the Enclos Fouqué caldera.
Réunion is volcanic in origin and also contains the older, deeply eroded massif of Piton des Neiges, the island’s highest mountain. The island should not be confused with nearby Mauritius, Mayotte, or the Comoros: all are in the western Indian Ocean, but only Réunion is the French department associated with Piton de la Fournaise.