Le Morne Brabant is a peninsula at the extreme southwestern tip of the Indian Ocean island of Mauritius on the western side of the island. Le Morne is a site of an extent of 480 hectares comprising private properties, State Land and mountain reserves.
There is an eponymous basaltic monolith with a summit 556 metres above sea level. This summit covers an area of over 30 acres.
In 2008, UNESCO inscribed the site on the World Heritage List.
At the time of slavery
Le Morne was used as a shelter by runaway slaves, maroons, through the 18th and early years of the 19th centuries. The slaves came from the African mainland, Madagascar, India, and South-east Asia.The escaped slaves formed small settlements in the caves and on the summit of Le Morne protected by the mountain’s wooded and almost inaccessible cliffs. The oral traditions have made Le Morne a symbol of the slaves’ fight for freedom, their suffering, and their sacrifice. Le Morne came to be known as the “Maroon republic” because of the large number of escaped slaves who lived on Le Morne Mountain.
Le Morne
The punishment for escaping from slavery was very harsh and it included whipping, torture and even death until the British passed the Slavery Abolition Act in 1834.
Activities
Nature lovers should try Le Morne Brabant’s impressive 3.5 kms hiking trail for having a more immersive experience in the area’s exoticism. You will walk through luxuriant green vegetation consisting of gigantic endemic trees as well as smaller exotic plants. The hike can last between three to four hours, where you will be guided by professionals. As you hike your way to the top, you will find a gigantic, basalt rock peak dotted with caves which once harbored runaway slaves.
le morne Cross showing highest accessible point
At the top there is a huge metal cross which marks the highest accessible point. From there you will get a truly breathtaking view over the Indian Ocean and Mauritius’ beautiful southern region.
Mauritius is an island in the Indian Ocean about 2,000 kilometers off the southeast coast of the African continent, east of Madagascar. It includes Rodrigues, Agaléga and, the St. Brandon islands. Port Louis is the capital and the largest city where most of the population is concentrated.
In 1598 the Dutch took possession of Mauritius and abandoned it in 1710. France took control in 1715. In 1810, Great Britain seized the island and four years later France ceded Mauritius and its dependencies to Great Britain. It became independent in 1968.
The people of Mauritius are highly diverse in ethnicity, culture, language, and faith. It is the only country in Africa where Hinduism is the most practiced religion.
World Bank classifies Mauritius as a high-income economy. The country is a welfare state. The government provides free health care, free education up through the tertiary level, and free public transportation for students, senior citizens, and the disabled.
A panoramic view of Mauritius Island
Your travel here can satisfy your short break for shopping, partying, sunbathing, fine dining, sporting events, and
Featured Image : By S Molteno – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=25935306
Curepipe
Curepipe is by far one of the most densely populated areas within Central Mauritius, and in fact the country as a whole. It has an excellent selection of shops, restaurants and amenities, so it’s no wonder that many holiday makers to Central Mauritius choose this location to stay.
Because of it’s relatively high altitude, Curepipe often experiences more rain and cooler temperatures than many other places within Mauritius.
Despite being a relatively large town, there aren’t exactly an abundance of hotels and resorts to stay at within Curepipe. Accommodation within this central Mauritius location is limited to a couple of uninspiring guest houses and hotels such as Auberge de la Madelon and the Shanghai.
As a result, Curepipe tends to be a more popular base for back packers and budget travellers looking to tour Mauritius on the cheap.
Places To Eat In Curepipe
There are certainly many better eating options than sleeping ones in Curepipe.
For a place that serves up sizzling meat dishes and succulent burgers of different varieties try Manhattan. If you’re looking for a more upmarket experience, La Potiniere offers classy French food which may be a strain on the credit card – not one for the budget conscious though.
Things To See & Do In Curepipe
Curepipe makes a nice town to explore – there are also some nice shopping regions within the area, some of which have a very western feel. The pick of these are the Sunsheel Centre and Curimjee Centre. There are also some pleasant bookshops and banks available if you need to exchange some cash.
There’s plenty more sights too – Botanical Gardens for example is a pleasant place to have a stroll and is a keen picnic spot for the locals. Trou Aux Cerfs is another point of interest – a volcanic crater that’s very popular with holiday makers to the central area of Mauritius.
There are also some notable places to visit in and around Curepipe – the obvious place to visit is Black Gorges National Park – use it as a base to explore the National Park.
Other places nearby that are make for excursions for Mauritius tourists include Rose Hill, Moka and Quatre Bornes. Between them they have a decent mix of restaurants and places of interest. For example the Creole Buildings on Rose Hill are worth a visit, and Floreal has the textiles museum.
