A CITY WITH A RICH HERITAGE
A BOTANICAL GARDEN AND TROPICAL ORCHARDS
In 1770, Pierre Poivre designed and created the southern hemisphere’s first botanical garden in Pamplemousses. Even today, the region seen from the sky looks more like a lush and verdant forest than a network of charming villages.
In addition to the endemic and tropical species at the Pamplemousses Botanical Garden, Beau Plan’s colourful orchards are home to a wide variety of fruit trees. In summer, lychees are harvested beneath the shade of jacarandas and flame trees in full bloom.
180 YEARS OF MAURITIAN STORIES
As one of the oldest villages on the island, Pamplemousses has always offered an incredible lifestyle. French governor Mahé de La Bourdonnais chose to build his then-residence here, while writer Bernardin de Saint-Pierre sited the burial of Paul and Virginie’s eponymous heroes in the area.
Just a few kilometres away, an avenue lined with majestic Indian laurel trees leads to the historic mansion of Mauricia and its beautiful gardens.
La Villebague, another of the region’s grand estates, is a fine example of Creole architecture, with its colonnaded veranda, arabesques and Wedgewood blue shutters.
CULTURAL DIVERSITY PAST AND PRESENT
Cane fields, the parquet floors of old houses and vestiges of cut stone are a testament to those who contributed to Pamplemousses’ historical development, from slaves and indentured labourers to shopkeepers of Chinese origin and land owners. L’Aventure du Sucre pays tribute to these men and women, taking the visitor on a cultural journey to discover the history of the Mauritian sugar industry and its many protagonists.
Nowadays, the region’s villages proudly celebrate their multiculturalism. The Village Council organises regular sports tournaments to unite Pamplemousses’ young people around a common passion.