Estate Living Digital Publication Issue 3 March 2015 | Page 52

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Escape To
Shimmering on the turquoise waters
of the Indian Ocean, Mauritius is
internationally renowned as one of
the world’s premier luxury holiday
destinations. Possessing crystal clear
waters, unparalleled stretches of golden
beaches, world-famous hotels and
a delightful tropical climate, it is little
wonder that Mauritius enjoys one of the
highest rates of returning visitors in the
world.
In its entirety, the country includes the
islands of Rodrigues and Agalega, and
the group of islands known as Saint
Brandon, but it is the island of Mauritius
that enjoys paramount popularity,
especially the capital city, Port Louis.
Located in the western region of the
Black River District, the city boasts a rich
and exciting combination of culture and
history, and is swiftly developing into an
appealing alternative for those wanting
to evade the tourist-focussed resorts and
hotels and who are tempted by genuine
traditions and customs. A working

harbour since the 1630s, the port was
visited by a number of different nations
that christened it with various names.
During the medieval period, the Arabs
named it Dina Arobi, followed by the
Portuguese, who referred to it as Cirne.
The island was uninhabited until the
Dutch Republic established a colony in
1638, with the Dutch naming the island
after Prince Maurice van Nassau before
it was changed to lle de France when the
French colonised it in 1735.
Mahe de Labourdona founded the city in
1735andtheFrenchtransformedtheport
into the country’s administrative capital
and renamed it in honour of the French
King, Louis XV. As governor, BertrandFrançois Mahé de Labourdonnais was a
pivotal figure in the port’s history and was
responsible for its early development in
the late 1970s, establishing it as a principal
trade route from Europe to East Mauritius
before the opening of the Suez Canal.
Today, the port remains the largest in the
nation and is still the only official entry

and exit port for sea vessels that must be
cleared there before docking at any of
the other islands. The island’s hot semiarid climate remains the ideal condition
to grow sugar and the country enjoys
a respectable reputation as one of the
key global sugar producers. On average,
sugarcane is cultivated on almost 72,
000 hectares or 85% of arable land and
the island generates a staggering 6000
tonnes of sugar each year, more than half
of which is exported via ships docking at
Port Louis. It is because of this thriving
industry that the island relishes a heady
mix of cultures, and nowhere is this rich
and sweet history more prevalent than at
Domaine Les Pailles.
Nestled between the foothills of the
Moka Mountain Range and a mere ten
minutes’ drive from the port, Domaine
Les Pailles is a previously well-established
sugar estate and an authentic piece of
cultural bliss. Fusing traditional folklore
and heritage with 21st century pleasures,
visitors can chart the city’s journey from Ile