FRANCOIS-LEGUAT RESERVES GIANT TURTLES AND CAVES

It's one of Rodrigues' star attractions: a site that took years of effort and the planned breeding of hundreds of turtles. The company's 100% ecological objective is to preserve and enhance Rodrigues' natural heritage, in particular the island's original flora. In a well-defined and marked area, naturalists uprooted exotic species to promote the development of endemic plants such as Rodrigues vacoas, gournable and bois blanc. Hundreds of thousands of seedlings have been transplanted and are being carefully nurtured.

At the same time, in order to reproduce the island's original fauna as closely as possible, three species of tortoise have been introduced to the reserve: the Aldabra giant tortoise(Aldabrachelys gigantea), the star tortoise(Astrochelys radiata - a small species native to Madagascar) and the plinth tortoise(Astrochelys yniphora). These are not the species that were once found on Rodrigues and are now extinct. But they are the closest turtles morphologically speaking. Bred at the Vanille Nature Park in Mauritius, the first 294 turtles were welcomed by a huge crowd of curious onlookers in 2006. Since then, hundreds more have joined them and a multitude of babies have been born, bringing the total number of individuals on site to over 4,500. They can be observed in vast enclosures, bordered by low dry-stone walls and the natural topology of a beautiful valley between two rocky outcrops.

This pleasant walk is complemented by another activity: the organized and commented discovery of one of the nine limestone caves on the site, reserved mainly for scientific research. Accessible to all (walkways, staircases and lighting), the tour is only available in small groups with trained guides.

Also on site: a large aviary which can be entered and is home to Rodrigues fruit bats or Pteropus rodericensis, the island's only endemic mammal; a documentation center on Rodrigues; an interesting little museum (the only one on the island) on the fauna and flora, settlement history, limestone geology and postal history of Rodrigues.

Restaurant. Shady and quiet, this large terrace serves local cuisine. There's also a small rustic bar serving drinks and herbal teas.