Imagine a love story where our two protagonists are separated by class. A love that cannot be and that ultimately (spoiler alert!) ends in tragedy.
The story of Paul et Virginie by Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre is a famous French novel from the late 18th century that looks at this theme while capturing the Mauritius of that time: a place, in the author’s eyes, where everyone and everything co-exists in peace and harmony. Fast forward to now and it is these elements that embody the Veranda MC’s Paul et Virginie hotel and spa in the fishing village of Grand Gaube.
Our drive there from the airport is something quite magical too. Large, swaying palm trees and green hills are the backdrop to colourfully dressed people walking on the roads.
Some of them, two men abreast, are carrying on their shoulders a plinth that looks like a Hindu god.
It transpires that we had landed during a festival called Maha Shivratri, celebrated annually in honour of the deity Shiva. These were locals making a pilgrimage to a sacred crater lake called Grand Bassin, 550m above sea level in the south of the island. What a spectacle.
When we arrive at the four-star, adults-only hotel, we are wowed by the complete transformation by interior designer Ophelia Merle.
In the elegant and welcoming lobby, there are bamboo chairs and sofas. The gorgeous Poudre d’Or bar has direct views of the Grand Gaube Lagoon.
Just outside, parasols and bar stools seem to blend with the surrounding landscape, and there is a pair of sea-view pools, one with an infinity edge.
I love my superior room, beautifully decorated in muted green tones with touches of orange, wooden lamps and mirrors, with a direct view of the dazzling sea and those perfect palms.
Dining here is an elegant experience. Under a thatched roof and at the end of a pier is Le Saint Geran. Served at tables over the water, seafood is a fabulous choice.
Meanwhile, the Isle de France buffet restaurant, which is included in the half-board package, overlooks the pool, and offers an incredible range of international dishes.
While you’re here, I highly recommend booking into The Seven Colours spa – where each colour represents specific treatments.
I go for “purple” and a neck, shoulder and upper back massage. All I can say is that after the allotted half-hour massage, I had to be woken up!
There are also wellbeing private sessions, such as a 15-minute chakra (focal points used in ancient meditation practices) test, to discover which of your chakras are dominant, balanced or blocked. You can even learn the art of massage.
If you are keen to speak the language of the locals, the hotel offers Creole lessons.
After English and French, it is spoken by the majority of Mauritians. The teacher, Danny, explained that the language is not written down and we start with introductions.
In Creole, Bonzour. Mo apel…, kouma ou apele? Translates to Hello my name is…what is your name?
It actually sounds a lot like French – and the slang word for girlfriend in Creole is “transink” … 35!
Once you have rested around the pools, or down on the beach, you might be in the market for a day trip and the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanic Garden, in the town of Pamplemousses, is a very lovely one ( ssrbg.govmu.org ).
Set in 33 hectares, there is an array of tropical plants that is so much part of the landscape of Mauritius, with giant lily pads, a medicinal spice garden, and there are deer, tortoises and bats flitting through the trees. I thought it was utter paradise. We also paid a visit to Grand Baie on the northwest coast of Pereybère. The hotel runs a bus service there twice a week.
The first fantastic photo op is Notre-Dame Auxiliatrice de Cap Malheureux, a Catholic church famous for its vivid red roof, which pops against the backdrop of the bright turquoise waters in the bay and cloudless sky.
And you won’t stop snapping around the colourful market, shops, restaurantsand cafes either – there are around 50 lining the bay and the coast road to Pereybere.
At weekends, the nightclubs here are jumping, plus throughout the week there’s the chance to watch jam sessions, live bands and Sega performances – a style of music brought to Mauritius from Africa.
After a leisurely walk and a drink in a seafront bar we headed down to the beach. Just like you see in the brochures, the sand was golden and the sea was a clear crystal blue.
If you fancy sampling a true taste of Mauritius, the luscious Veranda Paul et Virginie hotel offers
rum-making sessions and Creole cooking classes.
We are shown how to flavour rum with spices such as star anise and we got the chance to taste all of our new creations – and I have to say they were potent.
At the cooking class, you can rustle up anything from coconut chatini to chicken kari – the chef will make it happen. We also had a go at making roti, a bit like a flat naan bread, made with wholewheat flour and water.
Pound them with your fists while they are still hot and they’ll stay soft and fluffy long after they have been cooked and placed in a fridge.
One of the most fascinating places to visit on the island is L’Aventuredu Sucre, a sugar factory that closed in 1999
( aventuredusucre.com ).
Here, tourists can learn about the history of sugar production, how it was an integral part of the economy, and the diverse communities who made Mauritius their home over the centuries.
One such figure was Bertrand-Francois Mahe de la Bourdonnais, the Governor of Mauritius.
He was appointed by the French East India Company in 1735 and was instrumental in putting the island on the map when it came to trade and commerce.
The tour of this factory finished with a tasting of different types of sugar, which ranged from muscovado to demerara and was rounded off with some more rum tasting.
Back at the hotel we had our final dinner in the Le Saint Geran restaurant.
Feasting on giant prawns and flambeed bananas in the warm evening breeze as the sun went down over the Indian Ocean was a fairytale ending to this Mauritian love story.
Book the holiday
- British Airways flies from Gatwick to Mauritius starting at £599 return in December. ba.com/mauritius
- Rooms at the Veranda Paul & Virginie hotel in Grand Gaube, Mauritius, start at around £240 a night in December. veranda-resorts.com
- More info at mymauritius.travel