THE TEA, RUM AND VANILLA ROUTE

The Route du Thé, du Rhum et de la Vanille is a unique experience: a gastronomic, historical and cultural journey offering a privileged immersion in authentic Mauritius. The itinerary comprises three stages, corresponding to three estates located several kilometers apart, which can be visited in any order - there is no set itinerary. The package includes lunch at the winery of your choice, plus several activities and tastings.

On the high plateau of central Mauritius, in Curepipe, Domaine des Aubineaux is a vast estate housing one of the island's last colonial mansions, built in 1872 by French architects. Inhabited until 1999, well preserved and patiently restored with noble materials (teak, copper nails, etc.) to become a museum, the superb house has retained the old-fashioned charm and nostalgia of bygone eras. Notably, it was the first on the island to feature a corridor and, in 1889, to have electricity. The former stables have also been restored. The mansion is surrounded by a superb garden, partly planted with camphor and rare trees such as this five-hundred-year-old rosin tree.

In the southern highlands, where topography and climate offer ideal conditions for growing tea (with no need for pesticides), Domaine de Bois Chéri is home to the country's oldest plantations. It is home to the Bois Chéri tea factory, the largest of its kind in Mauritius, in operation since 1892. The factory can be visited all year round, even if it is idle from April to September. The leaves are harvested on site, in the estate's plantations. A guide takes you into the breathless bowels of the factory, where impressive machines swallow, chew and spit out the leaves in a thunder of metallic clanking and whistling. Before your visit, take a tour of the museum to learn all about the history, manufacture and uses of tea. This is followed by a tasting sequence overlooking Swan Lake, in well-tended surroundings offering superb views of the surrounding plantations.

Even further south, not far from the coast, Domaine de Saint-Aubin is home to a fine colonial house dating from 1819, which was moved and rebuilt plank by plank in 1870. A masterpiece, it is listed as a national heritage site. A visit to the estate is peppered with numerous curiosities for children and parents alike: mini-farm, playground, botanical trail, anthurium greenhouse, Maison de la Vanille. There's also the Rhumerie de Saint-Aubin, a pioneer in the production of agricultural rum in Mauritius. It is renowned for the quality of its production, which regularly wins international awards. La Maison du Rhum offers tastings of white rum, vanilla rum and spiced rum. Only the heart of the toast is used to produce a beverage of exceptional quality. Depending on the time of day, you can watch the cane being crushed, learn how the stills and fermentation vats work and/or watch a film. The visit can be extended to include the Ecomuseum and the Moulin de Saint-Aubin.

An attractive range of products made on the three estates is on offer in the stores, which promote homemade quality and originality.