Quatre-Bornes market fair A must-see during your holidays in Mauritius: the fair of Quatre-Bornes is a picturesque, merry market place in the nearby city, where you can appreciate the variety of lined stalls. But do not take our word for it, take a look for yourself. It is a little over 24 km’s away, 20 minutes by car or 45 minutes by bus if you wish to experience full immersion into the Mauritian culture. Twice per week, on Thursday and Sunday mornings, the merchants propose various articles, including a vast majority of clothing manufactured in Mauritius, but also products from the craft industry, fabrics, accessories, shoes, objects of worship… What differentiates this fair from the other traditional places of shopping is that it has always been intended for Mauritian shoppers, but that visitors to the island quickly understood the interest of going there for purchase memories. Advantages being that the prices are reasonable and the merchants are always open to bargaining. Moreover, this practice is highly recommended in order not to be held in disdain by the traders. In winter, people rush to buy sweaters and fleece clothing. In summer, tee-shirts and shorts flood with bright colours the dark aisles full of hustling people. One can hear Reunion Island Creole, Russian, Chinese or English in all the aisles but at the time of settling transactions, everybody understands each other. After your shopping, taste the excellent “gato-piment” and “samosas” in front of the market fair and end your snacking time with a “gato arouille” laced with hot sauce: they are cooked right before your eyes.   Photo credit : voyage-ile-maurice.info

Paddling among tortoises If you have already gone on a boat trip to see dolphins, you would have surely embarked from Petite Rivière Noire. This small bay shelters quite a few tortoises, which some people are sometimes lucky enough to encounter. But they are mostly present en route to Ile aux Bénitiers, in a heavenly place called Ilot Fortier (Fortier islet). The name does not do it justice, because it is in fact a peninsula sheltering innumerable fish and a splendid sandy seabed surrounded by large immersed rocks. The place is ideal for paddling, even if strong winds make it a little more demanding. But the end reward is magical. Up until May, and preferably when the sea is calm, one can simply moor to a buoy and scan the sea. Initially, one only sees the vast expanse of turquoise water, barely rippling from a light swell. And then, suddenly, a large green head breaks water’s surface. A glance towards the paddle and us, the intruders, before the tortoise swiftly dives back under. We are forced to be patient, because the tortoise can hold its breath for extended periods of time before reappearing. Some resurface really close to the paddle. It is fun counting the number of dives and speculating on the place of the next appearance. On good days, one can see up to five tortoises on an outing. And the ultimate reward is paddling in the crystal clear waters following a young tortoise, who clearly does not mind the company. Even if the photograph is blurry, your memory will remain long-lived.

Orlane, the yarn-manipulating magician Orlane Lacaze, art craftswoman, is a Frenchwoman who has been living in Mauritius since a few years now. Artist at heart, Orlane uses her long fingers and talent to summon original crochet creations. Orlane conjures one’s emotions and piques one’s interest with her coloured and unique creations which take shape as knots, crochet and macramé, made of common, mixed or unexpected materials, resulting in original or inspired forms. As far as possible, the products are issued from materials manufactured on the island, thereby making the whole experience eco-friendly and turning the products into novel, refined and authentically Mauritian ones. Carpet, footrests, plaids, bed throws, dreamcatchers, paintings, ceiling light fittings … a whole, slightly fairylike, and light universe which equips and livens a room. Orlane also volunteered to train unemployed women living in underprivileged areas of Black River: this step appears only natural to her considering all that she has received from Mauritius. She has set on a project which she wanted to embark upon since a while now: “to dress” the filaos of the bay with crochet. Thus, ditching her magic broom for a ladder, she hung some of her creations around the trees. During your next visit to the bay, remember to go admire her work: it is a form of beach art, beautiful and free: truly fitting the artistic spirit of Tamarin!   Photo credit : Isloom

Tec-tecs of the bay, Tamarin’s well guarded culinary secret It is a gourmet pleasure that Mauritians are particularly fond of, especially when visiting Tamarin, where nature decided to lodge those delicious, easy to gather shells on the shores of the splendid bay. After your reinvigorating swim, put on, a cap and examine the sand. Maybe you have already come across Mauritians, toes steeped into the sand, frantically digging to obtain a closed shell? Tec-tecs live a few centimetres from the surface, where water laps at the sand. Wait for a wave to wet the sand, point your foot downwards and poke the sand. Do two tiny holes appear? Bingo, you found your first tec-tec! Delicately dig into the sand and collect it before it is taken by a wave or tries to dig deeper into the sand. Tec-tecs being very small creatures, you need to think big: half an hour should be enough to bring back the biggest ones (mercilessly reject the smaller ones). Back home, leave them to soak 1 to 2 hours in clear salty water and stir regularly. This operation will allow the tec-tecs to expel all the sand from their shells. Rinse the shells one last time then heat some butter in a pan. Throw in the tec-tecs and as soon as the shells open, stir and add garlic. All shells must be open. Tec-tecs are enjoyed au naturel as aperitif (which requires skinning), in soups or with my personal favourite, pasta. A 100% local iodised and tasty pleasure!   Crédit photo : Pinterest

Armand Gachet, portrait of a multi-talented artist Armand, born in Tamarin, is a full-fledged artist who happily defends the very peculiar creative spirit of Tamarin. Originally a graphic designer, he converted to illustration and interior decoration. Having lived in an ashram for a year and studied the holy texts, Armand’s work is imbued with Vedic teachings. Surprisingly, he is also the bassist of the group Crossbreed Supersoul, a Mauritian rock group founded in 2004. Music and creativity are his guiding principles. Established painter, he is the author of an original piece of street art, the wonderful mural that can be admired around the corner of “boutique Noel” (Noel shop), on the road leading to the bay. A magnificent humpback whale, as often seen from this coast, mockingly guarding a goat stationed on its head, portrayed on a background featuring La Tourelle Mountain and the bay. His more traditional work is largely inspired by spirituality and is based on Vedic culture. Armand is a deep, engaged and modest artist. The acrylic and oil paintings of Armand Gachet, also known as Gaura Gopal das, can be found on his Facebook page. Photo credit: Fundind Initiative Vrindavan Experience

Gathering “goyages de Chine” It is at the beginning of winter that Mauritians, equipped with their “tentes” (woven baskets), plan family trips to pick those deliciously tangy, big or small, red fruits; guavas. These tropical fruits are part of the local landscape and fully ripen in May. They are abundantly present on the Central Plateau, in the lovely region of Plaine Champagne, which overlooks the Gorges and Black River. Wearing trainers and trousers, make your way towards Chamarel and climb up until you reach the beautiful vantage point of Pétrin, where you may take advantage of the parking facility on this steep road. On each side of the road, scattered shrubs form a forest. Get straight into it; you will soon understand the usefulness of the trousers due to the unruly branches. Pathways that are easily accessible are the first to be trodden on. Walk a few metres further inside, where the trees gain in height and reach out your hand. You’ll find bundles of red staining the dark green guava trees. Eat the first ones immediately after picking them, as all Mauritians do. The yellow pulp melts under the tongue, releasing a heady and tenacious flavour. Go on tiptoes to delicately bend a branch and pick a particularly big guava. A bright yellow fruit draws your attention: it is the famous “goyave de Chine de France” (Mauritian copyright), a sweeter and rarer variety. In the midst of this wild forested region, play fruit-seeking as children do and bring back the highest number of guavas. Consumed in jam form or as marmalade, or simply with “disel pima” (salt and chilli), it’s simply sinful. Take advantage of a nice shady spot to enjoy a picnic, and while you’re at it, enjoy a nap in the cool and pure air.

Sugarcane Flowers in Bloom! As you make your way through the winding lush landscape of Mauritius, at this time of the year you will notice a wispy feather-like flower blowing gracefully in the wind above a bed of emerald green sugarcane – this is the sugarcane flower that goes by different names in the different countries in which it grows. The flower itself stands tall and proud and is cream-coloured with a faint lavender/purple hue, and where you find them flowering in abundance, it is a true spectacle to behold and will surely add an extra touch of magic to your stay in Mauritius. Flowering of sugarcane occurs when the plant reaches a relatively mature stage of development, going from the vegetative to the reproductive stage. The tropical conditions in Mauritius are ideal for the sugarcane flower to bloom fully, helping to ensure that sugarcane will always be around (hopefully!). The flower is known as the ‘inflorescence’, ‘arrow’ or ‘tassel’ of the sugarcane plant, the latter two seemingly because of its arrow and tassel-like appearance, starting off wide at the bottom and thinning out towards the top. Each tassel amazingly consists of several thousand tiny flowers, with each one being capable of producing one seed each. Sugarcane itself has many importance uses; of course there is the obvious one being that it provides sugar. However additionally, it also provides bio-fuel, fibre, fertiliser and a whole myriad of products and co-products with ecological sustainability. With sugarcane being cultivated currently on around 72,000 hectares of land in Mauritius, it remains an important contributor to the country’s economy. If you are in Mauritius during the winter season here, be sure to keep an eye out for the stunning sugarcane flowers and be sure to get some pictures until they’re gone again for another whole year. For private villa rentals in Mauritius, Marguery Villas is your ideal choice. Located on the beautiful west coast of Mauritius with many local amenities nearby, staying with us will help to ensure that you have the most perfect holiday in Mauritius. Contact us today to find out more.