Curepipe Curepipe is by far one of the most densely populated areas within Central Mauritius, and...
This museum in a former sugar factory in pamplemousses near the Botanical Gardens, features exhibits on the cultivation of sugarcane. It is open from Monday to Saturday from 10.00am to 4.00pm and closed on public holidays. The guided tour is with no extra charge. A normal visit will take about 1 hour and 30 minutes but a detailed visit will take 3 hours. An audio guide is available for free download on the AppStore and Google Play platforms in French, English, German, Chinese, Russian, Italian and Spanish. It is also recommended to bring your own earphones or headphones.
sugar canes were introduced from Java by Dutch settlers in the 1600s. French colonists arrived shortly after the Dutch abandoned the island in 1710. By the time of the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800s, there were around 60,000 slaves working in the island's sugar industry who constituted the bulk of the population. They were mostly replaced by indentured labourers from india after the abolition of slavery in the British Empire in the 1830s.
Much of the original machinery – pipes, vats, vessels – is still on display, including two locomotives and a large wooden barge which was used to transport sugar from Mauritius to Madagascar.
At the museum entrance,a booklet is available for children between 7 and 12, which includes games and puzzles to help them enjoy finding out more about the history of Mauritius and its famous sugarcane.
A range of documents is available for teachers, parents and students to enable them to prepare visits or read more about l'aventure du sucre.
The 250 years of history of the old sugar mill, will also trace the history of Mauritius. The factory was used until the 1970s to transport sacks of sugar in the port. Today you can see how the docks used to be in those times and discover their importance to Mauritius.
Even today sugar is a major industry in Mauritius after tourism and textile manufacturing. But increased mechanization and consolidation of the mills has led to far fewer numbers being employed in the industry.
At the end of the tour, you'll have the opportunity to sample many different varieties of unrefined sugar, alongside some local rum. The restaurant, le fangourin, located in a lovely lush setting overlooking the mountains of the central plateau serves Mauritian flavors and savors.
