Domaine De Bel Ombre
"The authentic Mauritius, preserved and unspoiled, offering both abundant new experiences and tranquil serenity in the most naturally beautiful coastal region on one of the Indian Ocean’s most breathtaking islands."
Two hundred years ago, the renowned Irish botanist Charles Telfair discovered a piece of Eden on Mauritius's south-west coast. Owned by French planters since 1765, it was a pure, virgin land of undulating hills, sugar cane fields and broad plains, dense rainforest scored by deep waterfalls, turquoise lagoons and breeze-kissed beaches. Seduced by its natural beauty and tranquility, Telfair made this extraordinary corner of the island his home.
That secret Eden survives today in the Domaine de Bel Ombre. Wrapped in nature as pristine and unspoilt as ever, this magnificent private estate and former sugar cane plantation resonates with the romance of centuries of colonial history and style.
The Domaine's longstanding owners, Bel Ombre Sugar Company, are committed to preserving this wonderful landscape and development in the region is carefully planned and controlled to benefit the local community. Restoration within the estate includes many of its landmark buildings such as the old sugar factory, due to be reborn soon as a retail and leisure complex, and the original mansion, the Château de Bel Ombre. Built in the 1880s, this grand manor house has been reborn as a gourmet restaurant, gloriously set in French-style gardens.
At the heart of the Domaine is Valriche Nature Reserve, a vast lush landscape rich in indigenous flora and fauna. Explore this natural sanctuary by quad bike, 4x4, mountain bike or on foot, spotting deer and wild boar, monkeys and mongoose, kestrels and flying-foxes. Visit the spectacular deep-drop waterfalls or retreat to a private hunting lodge high in the mountains with idyllic views, for memorable sunset barbecues or an evening of stargazing.
Discover the nearby marvels of World Heritage site Le Morne Brabant Mountain, and Chamarel with its vividly hued rolling ‘coloured earths’. On its shores are the crystal-clear waters of the Indian Ocean, a marvelous marine playground in which to dive, swim with dolphins, hunt tuna and marlin or discover the thrill of kite surfing and other water sports. Even these gentle waters contribute to the richness of Bel Ombre's history: it was near here that Captain Matthew Flinders was captured by the French in 1803 after completing his historic mapping of Australia's coastline, not realizing that England and France were at war, and where in 1923 survivors of the SS Trevessa landed after their arduous journey covering 2,600 kilometres, achieving the longest lifeboat voyage ever recorded.
The Domaine is home to several luxury hotels including the Heritage Le Telfair Golf & Spa Resort and the Heritage Awali Golf & Spa Resort, which offer access to the sybaritic pleasures of Six Senses and Seven Colours spas and service and style that are truly five-star. At the heart of Bel Ombre sits the world-class Golf du Chateau, bordered by the award-winning Villas Valriche residential estate, and with a second championship course planned on adjacent land, Bel Ombre is set to become a major international golfing destination.
There is so much to enjoy in and around the Domaine. Experience the authentic for yourself.
