Armand Gachet, portrait of a multi-talented artist Armand, born in Tamarin, is a full-fledged artist who happily defends the very peculiar creative spirit of Tamarin. Originally a graphic designer, he converted to illustration and interior decoration. Having lived in an ashram for a year and studied the holy texts, Armand’s work is imbued with Vedic teachings. Surprisingly, he is also the bassist of the group Crossbreed Supersoul, a Mauritian rock group founded in 2004. Music and creativity are his guiding principles. Established painter, he is the author of an original piece of street art, the wonderful mural that can be admired around the corner of “boutique Noel” (Noel shop), on the road leading to the bay. A magnificent humpback whale, as often seen from this coast, mockingly guarding a goat stationed on its head, portrayed on a background featuring La Tourelle Mountain and the bay. His more traditional work is largely inspired by spirituality and is based on Vedic culture. Armand is a deep, engaged and modest artist. The acrylic and oil paintings of Armand Gachet, also known as Gaura Gopal das, can be found on his Facebook page. Photo credit: Fundind Initiative Vrindavan Experience

Gathering “goyages de Chine” It is at the beginning of winter that Mauritians, equipped with their “tentes” (woven baskets), plan family trips to pick those deliciously tangy, big or small, red fruits; guavas. These tropical fruits are part of the local landscape and fully ripen in May. They are abundantly present on the Central Plateau, in the lovely region of Plaine Champagne, which overlooks the Gorges and Black River. Wearing trainers and trousers, make your way towards Chamarel and climb up until you reach the beautiful vantage point of Pétrin, where you may take advantage of the parking facility on this steep road. On each side of the road, scattered shrubs form a forest. Get straight into it; you will soon understand the usefulness of the trousers due to the unruly branches. Pathways that are easily accessible are the first to be trodden on. Walk a few metres further inside, where the trees gain in height and reach out your hand. You’ll find bundles of red staining the dark green guava trees. Eat the first ones immediately after picking them, as all Mauritians do. The yellow pulp melts under the tongue, releasing a heady and tenacious flavour. Go on tiptoes to delicately bend a branch and pick a particularly big guava. A bright yellow fruit draws your attention: it is the famous “goyave de Chine de France” (Mauritian copyright), a sweeter and rarer variety. In the midst of this wild forested region, play fruit-seeking as children do and bring back the highest number of guavas. Consumed in jam form or as marmalade, or simply with “disel pima” (salt and chilli), it’s simply sinful. Take advantage of a nice shady spot to enjoy a picnic, and while you’re at it, enjoy a nap in the cool and pure air.

Sugarcane Flowers in Bloom! As you make your way through the winding lush landscape of Mauritius, at this time of the year you will notice a wispy feather-like flower blowing gracefully in the wind above a bed of emerald green sugarcane – this is the sugarcane flower that goes by different names in the different countries in which it grows. The flower itself stands tall and proud and is cream-coloured with a faint lavender/purple hue, and where you find them flowering in abundance, it is a true spectacle to behold and will surely add an extra touch of magic to your stay in Mauritius. Flowering of sugarcane occurs when the plant reaches a relatively mature stage of development, going from the vegetative to the reproductive stage. The tropical conditions in Mauritius are ideal for the sugarcane flower to bloom fully, helping to ensure that sugarcane will always be around (hopefully!). The flower is known as the ‘inflorescence’, ‘arrow’ or ‘tassel’ of the sugarcane plant, the latter two seemingly because of its arrow and tassel-like appearance, starting off wide at the bottom and thinning out towards the top. Each tassel amazingly consists of several thousand tiny flowers, with each one being capable of producing one seed each. Sugarcane itself has many importance uses; of course there is the obvious one being that it provides sugar. However additionally, it also provides bio-fuel, fibre, fertiliser and a whole myriad of products and co-products with ecological sustainability. With sugarcane being cultivated currently on around 72,000 hectares of land in Mauritius, it remains an important contributor to the country’s economy. If you are in Mauritius during the winter season here, be sure to keep an eye out for the stunning sugarcane flowers and be sure to get some pictures until they’re gone again for another whole year. For private villa rentals in Mauritius, Marguery Villas is your ideal choice. Located on the beautiful west coast of Mauritius with many local amenities nearby, staying with us will help to ensure that you have the most perfect holiday in Mauritius. Contact us today to find out more.

Tamarin’s fishmonger A profession as old as that of the fisherman. Early in the morning, he is stationed in front of the “Maison des pêcheurs” (Fishermen House), eyes wide open, his scrutinising gaze piercing the ocean. Low tide, high tide, “lahoul” (wave swell), wind direction … everything is analysed, dissected, evaluated. Those criteria determine how fishing will operate on this day. And without the fishmonger, the fishermen won’t see their items on the island’s market stalls. He generally buys everything that is brought back by the pirogues. A small, happy crowd usually hurries to the wharf once the fishermen are back. Beautiful silver tuna are disembarked, eyes already glazed over, fixedly staring at the horizon yet unable to move. The fishmonger’s old hook scale weighs the catch; negotiations are whispered so as not to be overheard. Fish are roughly emptied right there and the luckiest ones get to buy one or two from the catch. The rest is sent to town where they will be sold a day later. No fishing today. The swell is too big; the weather is influenced by a cyclone off the coast of Madagascar. The fishermen make the most of it and use this time to prepare their ballasts for the sunken nets. A big sheet of rusty corrugated iron is cut, wrung and straightened. The fishmonger is among “his men”. Keeping and maintaining the relationship, asking about the children, laughing together… Tomorrow, business is back as usual for the fishmonger.

La Preneuse, retracing the history of a dreaded warship La Preneuse frigate, commanded by Jean-Marthe-Adrien Lhermitte who was nicknamed “Le Brave” (The Brave), was a real source of worry for the British who ruled the oceans at the time. The frigate, heavy and hard to manoeuvre, was back from a mission in the South China Sea in 1798 where she sunk around forty British vessels before heading to Isle de France (Mauritius). The British were guarding Port Louis and La Preneuse frigate, accompanied by the corvette Brûle-Gueule, were immediately chased by five British ships. The French ships took refuge in Black River bay and resisted British assault for three whole weeks. During the battle, Lhermitte, ever the cunning strategist, decided to disembark unused cannons to form a land battery.This step proved to be advantageous to French marines. The beach on which the artillery was disembarked from La Preneuse has been named eponymously. Unfortunately, in 1799, chased once more upon its arrival in Isle de France, La Preneuse is thrust onto the reefs bordering Baie-du-Tombeau. Stuck, cornered by the British, the French have no means of escape. Lhermitte orders the destruction of the ship so that she does not benefit the enemy. La Preneuse rests on the seabed, but her legend lives on.

Lunch break at Vanilla Café Located right on the edge of Black River, 5 minutes from the Villas, a favourite local spot: Vanilla Café, a lush garden filled with tamarind trees, “longan” trees and banyan trees, where one may enjoy lunch (or even breakfast and dinner – recently introduced) in the soothing shade. It is the only place in the region to offer pub-style gourmet lunch outdoors, and with no fuss in an extremely pleasant environment. The welcome is warm and the space convivial. Give the mint iced tea a go, very refreshing in summer. No alcohol is served here, but you may bring your own. The café offers delicious and hearty mixed salads, burgers, sandwiches, panini’s and local dishes… You are likely to come across groups of readers, sharing their treasures, families with babies, calmly sleeping in the shade and rocked gently by a light breeze; such are the people you will meet at Vanilla Café. You can even enjoy a nice book in the quietude of the library or have a drink at the rustic wooden pallet bar. Before you leave, make sure to visit the artisanal shop, Vanilla Village, where local and national artists showcase their products that are suited to all budget and removed from commercial routes.

Keïvan Cadinouche, portraying islands in black and white Between Tamarin Bay where he surfs and paddles, and other Indian Ocean islands that he loves, this French-Mauritian photographer brings his silver film camera everywhere to immortalise slices of life and moments gleaned from daily life, which are sublimated by the silver particles on the film. For more than 15 years now, he has been seeking timelessness on the dusty trails of Madagascar, on the roads of a coastal village in Zanzibar, in the small, dry valleys of Rodrigues, equipped with his backpack and travelling via disparate means of transport… Sharing quality time, communicating despite the language frontier, capturing snippets of life and translating all those into black and white photos. It is, however, his island and Tamarin, where he lives that most inspire him; peaceful villages where life runs smoothly, craft trades which have deserted towns, grace-filled moments when man and nature truly reveal themselves. Keïvan Cadinouche is the author of numerous publications and has held many exhibitions. Limited series printings are sold throughout the world via his website, and you can also like his page and follow him on Facebook.