On one of our last days in Mauritius we decided to visit an old villa from the time of French colonists and a picturesque tea plantation opened in 1892. Both of these places are in the same part of the island (lower: Savanne), but belong to different tourist areas (my detailed guide to Mauritius can be found here). If your question is, “Is it worth visiting these places?”, I’ll tell you right away, yes! But let’s go over everything in order.
La Plantation de Saint Aubin
The House of St. Aubin (Aubin) was built in 1819 and served as the home of several managers of the sugar cane factory. It was renovated in the 1990s as part of the cultural heritage of Mauritius. Today you can still see the beams and supports from the old ships once used in the construction of the supporting structures.
If we talk about the “Mauritius Tea Route”, this is the third stop (the first stop is Domaine des Aubineaux, and the second is Bois Cheri). But we drove from the bottom (from the south of Mauritius), so for us Saint Aubin was the first point, and the second point was Bois Cheri. In the Domaine des Aubineaux, unfortunately, we did not get.
The estate still processes sugar cane, which is used to make sugar and delicious rum. You can see how both are made during a visit to the distillery. And you can also see the interesting “process of turning” the flower of the vanilla orchid into a fragrant pod.
In the colonial building itself there is a wonderful restaurant. Where you can try five sumptuous local dishes for 30 € (for adults) and 18 € (for children).
Bois Cheri
The second destination is the famous tea plantation, which is the oldest (built in 1892) and the largest tea plantation in Mauritius, Bois Cheri.
When you come here, you can not only admire the scenic views, but also taste all kinds of local tea. Today Bois Chéri produces a new line of flavored, green and herbal teas, which of course can also be tasted and bought.
When you enter the plantation (where the restaurant is located) you will need to pay a few dollars per person, this is the cost of entry, so to speak, but this also includes the cost of 1 cup of any tea. You can order an additional fee for a tasting of all the teas.
There is also an option to take the whole tour: visit the factory, museum and tea tasting at Bois Cheri restaurant. Prices: 300 rupees (8 € ) for residents and 500 rupees (13 € ) for non-residents. Perfect if you have plenty of time! They bring cookies and milk to tea! I’m not a fan of tea and milk, but here I couldn’t resist. It’s delicious!
And how not to look in the brand store, where, by the way, a very nice price! If you have a free day, I highly recommend taking the “tea route”, you will discover a completely different Mauritius!
