Mauritius - Trou D Eau Douce

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The fishing village of Trou d’Eau Douce is an early Dutch settlement. The Puits des Hollandais, meaning ‘Wells of the Dutch’, is an extinct crater well still used for fresh water and Trou d’Eau Douce refers to this freshwater spring although, since it is often pronounced Tro do-doo, some historians have assumed it is named after the dodo, which lived in this region.

In the centre of Trou d’Eau Douce is a large black church of volcanic rock, Notre Dame des Bon Secours. The black rock, combined with the church’s blue windows, gives it an unusual, sombre atmosphere.

Opposite the tourist information office in Trou d’Eau Douce are the remains of a lime kiln on the waterfront. You can climb it for views over the bay but take care as there is no hand rail and the stone steps are uneven.

Off Trou d’Eau Douce lies Ile aux Cerfs, an uninhabited island which has been transformed into a tourist attraction, with miles of beaches, numerous watersports and a handful of restaurants. It is marketed as a ‘paradise island’ and is a popular excursion but many travellers find it too touristy and overpriced. The island has a total area of 300ha, much of which has been transformed into the superb Le Touessrok Golf Course (see Chapter 3, Golf, page 86).

If you walk far enough around from the boat landing area, you should be able to find a quiet spot on the beach. Once you’ve settled down, it probably won’t be long before a passing gentleman offers you a pineapple or coconut. It’s almost worth the Rs100 just to watch him expertly hack the pineapple into the classic ice-cream-cone shape (see also What to do in Eastern Mauritius, pages 144–5).

TOURIST INFORMATION There is an MTPA tourist information office in Trou d’Eau Douce (Coastal Rd, La Pelouse; % 480 0925; ( 09.30–18.00 Mon–Sat).

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