01

100 OUR RESORTS THE ART OF BEAUTIFUL BEACHCOMBER RESORT & SPA MAURICIA “As you drive along the west coast, you cannot fail to fall in love with the countryside as it glides past like a canvas pulled by an invisible hand. To the left, behind the rows of long-leaved filao trees, runs the immaculate lagoon. To the right, brightly coloured villages, a motley crowd, a string of Tamil temples, chapels, roadside crosses and altars. At last, in the heart of this euphoria, just around the bend, Grand Baie spreads before us in all its magnificent splendour. And the Mauricia Beachcomber: the resort – and its delightful garden – is a haven of peace. The noise outside accentuates the quiet inside. Pure joy just for the sharing.” A At the tip of Grand Baie, between the sea and the village, is the tropical enclave of the Mauricia Beachcomber resort. It has every- thing you need and more. For all tastes and all ages. Whether you are here alone, for a romantic twosome, or with family or friends, you are bound to find your perfect space and lifestyle. Read peacefully under the leaf canopy of a big tree, smell the scent of eucalyptus in the hammam or, higher up and closer to the sky, enjoy the soft air on the peaks of the neigh- bouring mountains. Play a set of beach volley on the sand or wait for the wave to surf beyond the coral reef. Gradually the hours – and soon the days – lose all trace of time. Yet there is one moment when the dusk will call to you and you respond. As evening falls, party-lovers walk back up the beach to the village of Grand Baie, a mini Saint-Tropez that beats to the rhythm of music from all round the world, and dances to sega. The moon is your companion and, on the road home, the lapping of the water gently calms you down. Soon the noise of the festivities disappears in the rustling of the leaves. You are home. A fun outing not to be missed, especially when you get back and can savour with even more relish the peace and quiet of your kingdom. The Mauricia Beachcomber is aptly named. Like the island, it is both apart from and in the centre of the world.