On Mauritius’ east coast, Trou d’Eau Douce is best known as the departure point for boat trips to Île aux Cerfs. Every day, visitors arrive here on their way to the island’s beaches and turquoise lagoon, often leaving little time to explore the village itself.
Those who stay a little longer will find plenty to discover: a lagoon that has sustained generations of families, an old lime kiln, a sugar mill given a new life through art, and a nearby river once used to transport ebony. Alongside this history, a lively cultural scene gives visitors another reason to spend time here.
A walk along the waterfront is a good place to start. Fishing boats share the lagoon with excursion boats, while restaurants and small shops line the nearby streets. Stop for something local to eat, wander through the village or simply watch the boats come and go.
The village’s ties to the sea go back centuries. Its name is thought to come from a freshwater spring that once flowed into the lagoon, allowing passing ships to replenish their supplies. Following the abolition of slavery in 1835, formerly enslaved people are believed to have settled along the coast, particularly in the Maho and Débarcadère neighbourhoods, where many turned to fishing to earn a living.
Fishing remains part of village life today, alongside the tourism activities that have grown over the decades.
There is more to Trou d’Eau Douce’s history than fishing and boats. Around the village, reminders survive of industries that once drew on the resources of the lagoon and the surrounding land.
In Maho, an old lime kiln is now listed as a national heritage site. Coral taken from the lagoon was fired here to produce quicklime for use in construction and sugar production. This modest structure offers a glimpse into an era when the region’s natural resources were used very differently.
The sugar industry also left its mark, notably at Victoria 1840, a former nineteenth-century sugar mill.
Today, the building houses the Café des Arts and the Maniglier Foundation, bringing art and dining into the old industrial setting. Works by artist Yvette Maniglier are displayed within its stone walls and generous spaces, giving the mill a new role while retaining much of its original character.
Art and culture also have a place in the village beyond the old mill.
Each year, Trou d’Eau Douce hosts its book festival, founded by Mauritian writer Barlen Pyamootoo. It has become a fixture in the cultural calendar, drawing authors, illustrators, artists and readers from the region and across Mauritius for talks, discussions, workshops and literary discoveries.
With voices and stories from Mauritius and the wider Indian Ocean, the festival brings people together and gives the village a cultural reach well beyond its waterfront.
Of course, no visit to Trou d’Eau Douce would be complete without mentioning Île aux Cerfs. Its white sandy beaches and lagoon have made it one of the east coast’s most popular destinations.
Boat trips to the island have played a major part in the village’s development. From the 1970s onwards, as tourism grew, particularly with the opening of Le Touessrok in 1978, crossings in traditional pirogues gradually developed into a thriving excursion trade. Today, the boats travelling between the village and Île aux Cerfs are a familiar part of the scene.
Excursions also offer the chance to explore Grande Rivière Sud-Est, a little further south. Travelling upstream between cliffs and lush vegetation, visitors can reach its waterfall, one of the best-known natural sights on this stretch of coast.
This landscape has its own history. During the Dutch period, the Grande Rivière Sud-Est area played a role in the harvesting and transport of ebony, then one of Mauritius’s most prized resources.
With its busy waterfront, fishing traditions, industrial heritage and cultural events, Trou d’Eau Douce deserves a few hours of exploration. There is much to discover here about the history of the east coast and the people who call it home.
Next time you visit, leave yourself a little time before boarding your boat. Take a walk, stop for a meal and get to know the village before heading out onto the lagoon.
Cette publication est aussi disponible en :
Français