Saint Philippe, a small commune, typical of the wild south, seems as if born out of the volcano itself. Black basalt rock contrasts with the lush vegetation in abundance here. The island’s heart seems to beat here in Saint-Philippe, with its rainforests hiding a thousand delicate scents which float in the air such as cardamom, growing on the forest floor, cinnamon, with its tender green leaves, vanilla pods climbing their filaos cane and cloves.