L'Aventure Du Sucre

A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY

The setting for this gem of a museum is an old factory, itself evoking bygone days and a symbol of all that sugar represents. It lies within the beautiful Beau Plan Sugar Estate, located close to the famous Pamplemousses Botanical Gardens. Pamplemousses is one of the oldest villages in the island, where Governor La Bourdonnais built his mansion and where Pierre Poivre began the Gardens, close to the beautiful church where Bernardin de Saint-Pierre chose to lay to rest Paul and Virginie. The village is a good place for a stroll, with scenes of a tranquil way of everyday life tucked away around many a corner.

A TEMPLE TO SUGAR

The approach is impressive, along an avenue of bougainvillea and coconut palms, with a lake bordered by lush greenery, leading to the impressive sugar factory, nowadays one of the most spectacular tourist sites on the island. A sugarcane hedge runs alongside the final pathway and to the restored and converted factory. The visit has yet to begin but already sounds of the jungle and ocean waves draws you to a mysterious entrance, through which you emerge into the vast factory, its old machines decked with a thousand lights. There are giant screens, films, a barge floating and the sudden whistle of a railway engine. What awaits you is a superb and interactive tour, helping you to learn more about the island's history and cultures.

LE VILLAGE BOUTIK

Not to be missed is the sugar-tasting of the best of the Mauritian sugar industry, 12 unrefined natural sugars kept for export. They have a real taste to them. The senses also come alight while tasting nine rums, with their rounded, mellow and nuanced flavours. There is a meticulous process involved. The rums, specially developed for l'Aventure du Sucre by New Grove, are aged in oak barrels from Limousin forests, infused in special sugars or in vanilla, coffee or honey. There are also local sweets, tropical fruit jams and honey from Rodrigues. By showcasing this wide range of local produce, L'Aventure du Sucre is also helping to sustain know-how that has been acquired over the centuries and which is an integral part of the island's culture.

LE FANGOURIN

Le Fangourin lies in a delightful setting, tucked away in the midst of the Beau Plan Estate, with magnificent views from its veranda across lush, tropical countryside leading in the distance to Pieter Both Mountain. The cuisine is refined and incorporates island flavours in dishes such as Palm-heart gratin, Mauritian Sea-bream, and Lobster salad. There are also some delicious house-made deserts featuring the famous special sugars, including Crème brulee with fresh vanilla, Dark chocolate fondant with a hint of orange, Tropical fruit pancakes and a Coconut and treacle sorbet.

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