Chamarel, the wild essence of Mauritius

Descending into Caverne Patate means entering the depths of Rodrigues. From the first steps into the underground coolness, silence envelops me. Only the echo of our footsteps resounds between walls shaped by time. Moisture brushes the skin, the rock seems to breathe. Every stalactite, every recess tells a thousand-year-old story, frozen in stone. I feel both tiny and in awe. The ...

Some encounters leave a mark, and meeting the giant tortoises at François Leguat Reserve is one of them. Located in the south-west of Rodrigues, on the Anse-Quittor peninsula, just minutes from Plaine-Corail Airport, this 20-hectare nature reserve recreates the island's original ecosystem. More than 3,000 Aldabra and radiated tortoises, introduced between 2006 and 2007, roam freely here.

At the heart of Mauritius, Domaine de Labourdonnais reveals the elegance of a colonial era long past. Wrought-iron verandas, fine wood furniture, shaded gardens... Stepping through the gates of this history-laden estate, the air fills with the scent of frangipani, ylang-ylang, bougainvillea. Orchards stretch as far as the eye can see, heavy with mangoes, guavas and lychees that the estate's ...