The Thaipoosam Cavadee is a festival of Tamil origin that marks the end of 10 days of fasting that the penitent will complete with a pilgrimage to the temple. Ten days during which he will seek to elevate his soul and purify his heart. A celebration in homage to the God Muruga, son of God Shiva and the goddess Ouma, and little brother of the God Ganesh. There are several Cavadee’s during the year but the most important one, named Thaipoosam Cavadee takes place in January or February. It is the second last Cavadee of the Tamil year. There are six Cavadee per year and the Thaipoosam Cavadee is considered by Mauritians of Tamil culture to be the most important of the six Cavadee, the last of which is in March, one month before the beginning of the Tamil year.The “kodi” (flag with the designs of the “vel”: the spear that killed Idumban, and a peacock or a rooster) is hoisted at the entrance of the temple, indicating the beginning of fasting. A fast that will last ten days. During this sacred period, the worshipper must purify his soul and heart, driving out hatred, passion, pride and envy. Abstinence and prayers are required. All those who wish to participate in the Cavadee must prepare themselves physically and spiritually for this magnificent but very trying ceremony. A bracelet is tied to their wrist as a sign of commitment and submission. For several days the penitents go to the temple to pray to the divinity and sing hymns. Offerings are deposited there: coconuts, fruits, milk, saffron water…On the day of the ceremony, the rituals follow one another: prayers, offerings and purifying bath. After the ablutions in the river or in the sea, milk is poured into two small copper pots, which are covered with a piece of cloth, before being attached to the Cavadee. Most devotees are dressed in fuchsia, while some men are shirtless. The forehead, shoulders, back and chest are covered with sacred ashes. If you are passing through the island at this time, it is absolutely necessary to attend this splendid celebration, full of colour, meditation and mysticism, where pilgrims go into a trance thanks to music and prayers. For any activity booking during your stay in our luxury resort, do not hesitate to contact the concierge service.

The abolition of slavery is a significant milestone in the history of Mauritius. It is commemorated in the country on 1 February as a day of remembrance of the sufferings and sacrifices endured by Mauritians of African and Malagasy origin mainly during the dark periods of slavery and reminds everyone that the fight against discrimination is a never-ending struggle.   The successive colonizations and perpetuating slavery in Mauritius    In 1638, the Dutch East India Company established a colony in Mauritius. It started cutting down ebony trees and developing sugar cane and tobacco plantations as trading companies. The Dutch brought the first slaves to the island as labour, but in 1710 they abandoned Mauritius, unable to develop it. The French then took control, focusing on sugar cane production. It meant bringing in plenty of additional slaves to work on the plantations.   Napoleon Bonaparte was indirectly responsible for the end of the French colonization of Mauritius. Following his defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, France had to hand over the island to the British, who proceeded to turn it into a British Empire colony. When the British took control of the island in 1810, slaves represented about 80% of the island’s population, most of them coming from Madagascar and East Africa.Slavery in Mauritius: a tragic enslavement    The history of slavery in Mauritius dates back to the beginning of the European colonization of the island in the 18th century and at the height of the slave trade. Slaves suffered brutal working conditions and constant violence at the hands of their owners. They were often beaten, malnourished and housed in filthy environments. Slaves had no rights and were considered to be their owners’ property. Despite these tough conditions, they kept resisting and fighting for freedom. Several slave revolts broke out, notably in 1811 and 1825, but all were violently repressed by the colonial authorities.Landmarks of the abolition of slavery   However, international pressure for the abolition of slavery intensified in the early 19th century. In 1807, the British Parliament had already banned the slave trade in Britain, but even so, British merchants kept importing slaves into their colonies. In 1833, the British government finally passed the Slavery Abolition Act, declaring the abolition of slavery in all British colonies. However, it took several months before Mauritius did the same on 1 February 1835, becoming the last of the British colonies to abolish slavery.   The planters received £2 million compensation for the loss of their slaves. Although slavery had ended, the inflow of workers went on with the coming of indentured labourers, mainly from the Indian subcontinent. A public holiday commemorating the arrival of indentured labourers is held in Mauritius on 2 November.Le Morne, Mauritius’ official celebration site for the abolition of slavery    At Le Morne Brabant, in Mauritius, the cliff recalls a dramatic episode in the history of the abolition of slavery. This imposing mountain was the refuge of runaway slaves, who set up isolated and autonomous communities. On 1 February 1835, when the slaves learned of their free status, rather than celebrating their freedom, some chose to throw themselves into the void, preferring death to the unknown of freedom. Others followed suit, frightened by the sight of soldiers.   Mauritius is one of the few countries in the world to have formally celebrated the abolition of slavery, a significant event in the island’s history. Commemoration ceremonies take place every year on 1 February. The abolition of slavery in Mauritius is commemorated at the International Slave Route Monument on the Morne Peninsula, which opened on 1 February 2009, on a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discoveries and traditional stories have turned the site of Le Morne into a monument symbolizing the slaves’ struggle for freedom and their sacrifice. Le Morne was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.  The Morne Heritage Trust Fund was created on 28 May 2004. Its purpose is to promote, preserve and educate people about its global significance. The site has been preserved and is maintained with a view to conserving and sharing this heritage.   https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1259The celebration consists of a wreath-laying ceremony and speeches to honour the ancestors who fought for the freedom of slaves and to acknowledge the suffering they endured. The official ceremony is usually followed by a musical performance, while thousands of Mauritians picnic on the beautiful Le Morne public beach.   Another important ceremony takes place in Mahébourg, a village in the south-east of the island. It is here that slaves were first brought to Mauritius. The celebration consists of a wreath-laying ceremony and speeches to recall the importance of the abolition of slavery and the need to pursue the fight against all forms of discrimination.   The abolition of slavery in Mauritius in 1835 was a major historical event that had a profound impact on Mauritian society and on the history of the island. This event marked the end of a dark period in the island’s history, characterized by the exploitation and suffering of slaves of African and Malagasy origin. The ceremonies commemorating the abolition of slavery in Mauritius serve as a key reminder of the past and of the importance of freedom. They are also an opportunity to celebrate the cultural heritage of the island and to point out that the fight against all forms of discrimination must go on.

Originally a novel of the late 18th century that met with phenomenal success, the story of “Paul and Virginie” has since become a legend. Bernardin de Saint-Pierre’s masterpiece tells the story of the impossible love between two young teenagers living in Mauritius, in an idyllic and natural setting. Everybody knows Paul and Virginie in Mauritius. So much so that some people think that these two young people really existed. However, they are only the fruit of the imagination of Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, a French writer of the Enlightenment period. Published in 1788, the novel was a huge success in France and elsewhere, consecrating the two characters as the equivalents of Romeo and Juliet in the collective imagination.The story takes place in Isle de France (Mauritius). Paul is the son of a Breton peasant girl, Marguerite, abused by a nobleman. To avoid the affliction and shame that this pregnancy outside marriage would bring her in France, she finds refuge in this lost island in the Indian Ocean. She settled in the Pamplemousses district, then the capital of the Isle de France, and her neighbour was Madame de La Tour, a rich widow and mother of a young girl named Virginie. The two children were raised side by side in the magnificent setting of this tropical and lush island. In adolescence, the friendship between the two young people ends up turning into an idyll. Upset that her daughter fell in love with the son of a commoner, Madame de La Tour sent Virginie to study in France. After a dramatic separation, Paul and Virginie wait only for one thing: her return. But just as they are about to reach their goal, the ship carrying her, the Saint-Géran, runs aground on the reefs off Cap-Malheureux. Virginia is swept away, and Paul soon dies of grief.Poudre d’Or is home to the Paul and Virginie Monument which was erected on August 20, 1944 in memory of Paul and Virginie to remind us of this sad tragedy. In addition to the Poudre d’Or Monument, you will find a statue of Paul and Virginia in Curepipe, near City Hall. It is a bronze replica of the statue of Prosper d’Epinay. You will also find a bronze statue of Paul and Virginie in Pamplemousses. For any activity booking during your stay in our luxury resort, do not hesitate to contact the concierge service.

You are looking for a place to recharge your batteries with birdsong while being in a healthy environment. Bras d’Eau National Park, the last patch of dry coastal forest in Mauritius with mixed flora, is the place for you. To take advantage of this place it is advisable to arrive there around 9 am to avoid the high heat and especially not to forget walking shoes, mosquito repellent, a bottle of water and a small picnic. For those who know very little about this place, you just have to cross the village of Rivière du Rempart then Roches Noires to find yourself in the middle of a forest source of freshness. Inaugurated in 2011, the Bras d’Eau Park was proclaimed the second terrestrial national park of Mauritius after the Black River Gorges National Park.The starting point is near the visitor centre at Bras d’Eau. The Department of Woods and Forests of the Ministry of Agro-industry has set up a parking area and picnic kiosks for picnickers. As soon as you get out of your car, you come face to face with the ruins of a former sugar factory that closed in 1867. The Bras-d’eau National Park is home to remarkable natural treasures, such as ponds, remnants of the past, woodcocks, brown pigs, monkeys and rare birds that share the territory. The forest is also home to plants and trees unique to Mauritius, including the White Eucalyptus from Australia, Mahogani, Florida Mahogany, Araucaria and Tecoma.Bras d’Eau owes its name to the body of water in the shape of an arm that crosses the reserve. One of the attractions of the park is the Teal Pond, a paradise for migratory birds. The Mare Sarcelle spreads its mangrove over an area of 89.37 ha and is home to a large number of rare birds. There are also endemic plants such as the Oenellia Aphrodite Orchid. For any activity booking during your stay in our luxury resort, do not hesitate to contact the concierge service.  

On the north coast of Mauritius, in front of the lagoon in Cap-Malheureux, stand a small church with a notable red roof, called Notre Dame Auxiliatrice. Considered as a symbol of the island, this place offers stunning views of the Coin de Mire, another small island located less than ten kilometres from the north coast of Mauritius. A place not to be missed during your stay in Mauritius This beautiful chapel is one of the must-see sites during a stay in Mauritius. Designed by Max Boullé and erected by Raoul Lolliot in 1938, it was consecrated by the Vicar General and Bishop Richard Lee, on August 7, 1938. On one hand, Notre Dame Auxliaitrice was originally erected to host the celebration of weddings. The initiative came from Abbé Albert Glorieux, a Belgian missionary and parish priest of Saint-Michel of Grand Gaube. The chapel also welcomes a lot of people for the mass of Sunday. On the other hand, visitors are welcome at any time of the day.A simplistic architecture, in the image of Mauritius Of simple but delightful architecture, the chapel Notre Dame Auxiliatrice in Cap Malheureux is included in all the tours offered by the Mauritius Resort. The miraculous white of its interior walls inspires peace, and its carved stone altar remains impressive despite its old age.The place can be visited all throughout the year. The famous church of Notre Dame Auxiliatrice is designed is such a way that its setting reminds everyone of a postcard and it deserves a detour. Visitors are particularly attracted by its magnificent basalt altar and its Holy water font. But the surrounding landscape also makes most people dream, especially the huge Banyan who holds them in the shade of the striking sun. It is one of the most photographed places of the island: its idyllic setting attracts not only couples who are ready to say “I do” but also photographers. Come and discover a unique setting Cap Malheureux and its famous chapel are better visited at the end of the day.  The sunset then offers an exceptional glint, worthy of the greatest romantic films of Hollywood. The natural setting is preserved and lush. The lucky ones can even see the famous green ray that the island keeps bragging about. It is advisable to come between October and December when the island offers its most beautiful scenery thanks to the flamboyant flowers.A detour to Cap Malheureux also gives the opportunity to extend your tour to the marine cemetery or the Tamil temple, which is right next to it. As peaceful as a haven, Cap Malheureux is the ideal place to recharge your batteries. For any activity booking during your stay in our luxury resort, do not hesitate to contact the concierge service.

The festive season in Mauritius is celebrated with dinners, firecrackers and dances. New Year’s Day is a very important time when Mauritian families get together. This celebration and gathering often lasts for a week. In Mauritius, the New Year is celebrated under the summer sun in good spirits. Families prepare a good meal and organize dances accompanied by delicious banquets. Everyone wears new clothes to welcome the new year as it should be with many good resolutions and plans. Many families take the opportunity to go camping on the beach or in a seaside apartment.Christmas and New Year are the most festive times of the year in Mauritius. The atmosphere in the big cities is noisy, rhythmic and cheerful. The streets are very lively with shops, Christmas carols and people shopping. During this period the streets are filled with toys, clothes, Christmas trees and decorations for all tastes. For New Year’s Eve in Mauritius, it is a tradition to set off firecrackers. Fireworks and firecrackers are on sale all over the island. Every year Mauritians spend large sums of money to buy firecrackers. The Chinese community in Mauritius says, that setting off firecrackers on December 31 is a good way to chase away all the problems of the past year. So, you can start a new year in a positive atmosphere.If you just want to spend Christmas and New Year in Mauritius but away from the noise and bustle of the cities. You can enjoy the natural sites, relax on the beautiful beaches, swim in the beautiful lagoons and discover Mauritius. Between relaxation and exoticism, your New Year in Mauritius will be rich in colors and good memories. For any activity booking during your stay in our luxury resort, do not hesitate to contact the concierge service. Mythic Suites & Villas wishes you a Happy New Year 2020!