BOTANICAL GARDEN OF GRAPEFRUITS

Its name is famous and linked to the history of the island itself, and to its evolution, of which it is, in its own way, a vegetal witness, full of leaves, palms, flowers, fruits and spicy or woody notes. What exoticism under the tall foliage and romantic freshness in the shade of trees from here and elsewhere that make up the fragrant works of this open-air living tropical museum! Successively named Jardin de Mon Plaisir, Jardin Royal and Jardin des Plantes, since September 18, 1988 the park has been officially named after the first Prime Minister of Mauritius and father of independence, Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam. However, it is more commonly known by the name of his village: Pamplemousses.

Covering an area of 37 hectares, it owes its existence to French governor François Mahé de La Bourdonnais, who bought the Mon Plaisir property in 1735 and had a vegetable garden laid out to supply his family, the town of Port Louis and visiting ships with vegetables. The garden really took off in 1768, under the administration of Pierre Poivre, the King's Intendant on the Ile de France from 1767 to 1772 and a naturalist of genius. A man of great courage and ingenuity, Poivre stole from the Dutch colonies of Indonesia and the Philippines muscadiers, clove trees and other species destined for the Pamplemousses garden. He also cultivated a number of indigenous species, as well as plants brought back by other naturalists, notably tea and camphor trees from China. Unfortunately, the cultivation of cinnamon, nutmeg and clove trees soon turned into a failure. But these plants were transported to the Seychelles and Zanzibar, where, to the great fortune of these colonies, they found conditions favorable to their development.

When Jean-Nicolas Céré succeeded Pierre Poivre, he strove to continue his predecessor's work by introducing new species: ornamental flowering plants and, above all, the jackfruit tree, the wood from which is still used today to build Mauritian fishing boats. When the English seized the island in 1810, they did not abandon the enterprise. Among them, James Duncan, from 1849 to 1866, was particularly active in enriching the garden by introducing orchids, bougainvilleas, araucarias and laurels. His name appears alongside those of all the Garden's benefactors, on the obelisk erected in their memory on avenue La Bourdonnais, 100 meters from the main entrance. And so it was that the garden gained international renown, becoming a source of pride for Mauritians and a must-see for travelers.

Highlights of the visit :

The water lily pond. Covered with more than three species of white, blue and pink water lilies, it is best known for its giant Amazon water lilies(Victoria amazonica), majestic and astonishing plants whose large floating leaves with raised edges (like a giant pie plate) can reach 1.80 meters in diameter. Their flowers are white the first day, then pink the next, before dying.

The lotus pond. Crescent-shaped, it bristles with superb white flowers with "waterproof" leaves.

The great pool. Dotted with islets, themselves bordered by a beautiful belt of aquatic plants, it offers the gentle shade of a few pretty kiosks.

The palm tree collection. Their sheer number (over 80 species) and diversity are a major contribution to the park's reputation. Four varieties are native to Mauritius: the bottle palm (a colourful name reflecting the shape of the trunk), the elephant foot palm (idem), the palmiste (a small palm whose heart is extracted to make the delicious and famous "millionaire's salad") and the latanier. You can also discover palm trees from Rodrigues, the Seychelles or Madagascar - such as the famous traveller's tree, which holds rainwater between its chevron-shaped leaves. Don't miss the talipots: these Ceylon palms with leaves around 3.50 metres in diameter only flower once in their lives, just before they die, i.e. after 40 to 60 years. The immense inflorescence, made up of over 50 million tiny flowers, can reach a height of 6 metres above the tree: a pure marvel, destined for the lucky few who will be there at the right time! Another must-see is Avenue Poivre, lined with royal palms proudly reaching for the sky.

The many varieties of spices. They grow in different parts of the park, as plants, trees or shrubs and, despite the signs in the ground in front of the different species, are not always easy to identify. That's why it's so important to visit with a guide who can help you recognize, smell and touch them.

Mon Plaisir colonial mansion. This handsome, imposing house was built in the ^19th century by the English, and is not the original home of Mahé de La Bourdonnais, as some people tend to believe.

The wrought-iron entrance gate. It won first prize at the Intercolonial Exhibition held at Cristal Palace in 1862. Each of its columns bears a coat of arms depicting a lion and a unicorn surmounted by a crown.

The deer park and turtle enclosure.