Pamplemousses
The small, sleepy one-street town of PAMPLEMOUSSES got its name from the grapefruit-like trees introduced by the Dutch, and houses one of the most visited sites in Mauritius, the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanic Gardens. The excellent L’Aventure du Sucre museum is also interesting, covering Mauritius’s multiculturalism via a journey through the three-hundred-year history of sugar, while the beautifully restored Château Labourdonnais and its extensive orchards is also worth seeking out.
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (SSR) Botanic Gardens
Known as Pamplemousses Gardens to the locals,
Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanic Gardens are the third-oldest botanical gardens in the world, begun in 1729, as governor Mahé de Labourdonnais’ private vegetable garden. They were then taken over by administrator and naturalist Pierre Poivre in 1770 who was employed to seize the spice trade from the Dutch. He planted the gardens with spice trees such as camphor and clove, and ornamental trees shipped from the colonies. Today, the 60 acres are now home to five hundred different indigenous and exotic species, including over eighty species of palm, such as the unusual Talipot palm from Sri Lanka which blooms once every thirty to one hundred years and then dies; pick up a useful guide from the entrance to find your way around the shady tree-lined avenues.
Romantics might also like to track down the “grave” of Paul and Virginie, while deer and giant Aldabra tortoises in an enclosure will keep children happy. The garden’s stunning centrepiece is a pond with floating giant Amazon lilies opposite a bust of Mahé de Labourdonnais; his reconstructed colonial mansion, Château Mon Plaisir, oversees the gardens and aches to be renovated.
Château Labourdonnais
Built in 1758, the stunning, colonnaded Creole mansion of Château Labourdonnais was modelled on Versailles, with a tree-lined avenue and fountains, and only opened to the public in 2010. The garden has the largest banyan tree on the island, planted by Charles Telfair, but it’s most famous for its 150-year-old orchards that once supplied the island with fruit and where over fifty different types of mango alone are still grown. The 45-minute tour includes a nip of the excellent artisanal rum and fruit jellies produced here, and the gourmet restaurant, Le Table de Château, is well worth a lunch stop.
L’Aventure du Sucre
The excellent, interactive L’Aventure du Sucre museum in the old Beau Plan sugar factory uses stories, art, documentaries and games to bring the island’s history alive, following the story of its sugar industry and its impact on everything from the island’s economy to its population. The 2hr 30min guided tour takes you through the production process, from chopping the sugar cane to exploring a real-life sugar barge – and includes a rum tasting at the end.
Paul and Virginie
“Apparently, there has been only one prominent event in the history of Mauritius, and that one didn’t happen.” Mark Twain
The sinking of Le Saint Géran off Île d’Ambre in August 1744 and loss of two hundred lives inspired young French writer Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint Pierre (1737–1814) to write the romantic novella Voyage à l’île de France. Set against the idyllic tropical scenery of Mauritius, where Bernadin spent two years as a military engineer, it’s the story of childhood sweethearts, Paul and Virginie, whose plans to marry are cut short by tragic events. A ship carrying Virginie flounders on the reef during a stormy night, and although Paul swims out to save her, modesty prevents her from removing her heavy clothes to swim ashore; Virginie drowns and Paul dies of a broken heart.
Today you can visit Paul and Virginie’s “tomb” in Pamplemousses Gardens, discover pieces recovered from the Le Saint Géran on display in the National History Museum in Mahébourg and see an evocative sculpture of the lovers entwined by Prosper d’Epinay at the Blue Penny Museum in Port Louis. The book is available in English as Journey to Mauritius and can be found in bookshops island-wide.
Trou aux Biches and around
The splendid white-sand beach at TROU AUX BICHES is one of the best on the island, and although busy with boats at weekends, it’s a good spot for snorkelling. It blends to the north with Mont Choisy, the longest and most beautiful beach in the area. Both share the same origins, fishing villages which grew into resorts due to their fabulous beaches, but lack the crowds and commercialization of nearby Grand Baie. Inland, the town of TRIOLET is home to the island’s largest Hindu temple, worth a stop just to take in the atmosphere; shops on the main street sell small, painted Hindu statues which make original and inexpensive souvenirs.
Maheswarnath Temple
A wooden tiger guards the entrance to Maheswarnath Temple, the largest Hindu temple in Mauritius. As it was built in the nineteenth century, it’s bone white, a contrast to the lurid pinks and oranges of many modern temples. You can spot a few traditional paintings and designs, including stone carvings of a bull and a horse. There is usually someone on-site to show you around in return for a donation.
Turtle Bay and around
Sadly the giant turtles that earned this protected marine park the name Baie aux Tortues, TURTLE BAY, in the seventeenth century have long gone, but it’s a pretty and tranquil spot. Surrounded by plains of sugar cane, the white-sand beaches have been claimed by a cluster of luxury hotels and remain close enough to Port Louis for lovely views of the Moka Mountains. A couple of kilometres north, you’ll find sleepy fishing villages, slips of white sand and the interesting Mauritius Aquarium at Pointe aux Piments, named after the chilli bushes which used to grow here.
Mauritius Aquarium
A visit to see
Mauritius Aquarium’s 150 species of exotic fish is ideal preparation for diving or snorkelling. Children are engaged with questions on the walls and a touch-pool, but the big draw is an open water tank with turtles, giant moray eels and reef sharks – try and time a visit for feeding time. There’s also a café with free wi-fi and small shop selling fishy souvenirs in the garden.