Most people come to Mauritius for the beaches. Fair enough. But somewhere between your second cocktail and your third sunbed, you may start to wonder what else the island has to offer. Head south. Past the sugarcane, along quiet roads, and you will reach Domaine de Saint Aubin. Bring an appetite. And perhaps a designated driver.
The History of Domaine de Saint Aubin
The estate takes its name from Pierre de Saint Aubin, one of its first owners, back in the late 1700s. But the story really starts to take shape in 1819. That was the year the Saint Aubin house was built, sugarcane was planted, and the estate's first sugar factory constructed. The house is still standing. It has watched over these fields for more than two centuries. In 1848, Jean Baptiste Guimbeau became a shareholder in the Saint Aubin sugar factory. It was the first step in a family story that is still being written.
Then, in 1898, the Guimbeau family bought Domaine de Saint Aubin and its colonial house. They have been here ever since. Eight generations of the same family, still running the estate.
In the 1990s, the colonial house took on a new life. The family turned it into a table d'hôtes and began welcoming visitors, with informal tours of the estate. Then came 2003, and a big idea. Mauritius has traditionally made its rum from molasses. The Guimbeau family decided to use pure sugarcane juice instead. They launched their first artisanal distillery and became pioneers of pure cane juice rum on the island. Not bad for a family that had spent a century and more with sugar.
Why Visit?
Because it is the opposite of a rushed excursion. This is a working family estate in the wild south of Mauritius. It still feels like one. You wander, you taste, you sit down, and you stay longer than you planned. It also gives you a day where you can connect with the history of the island and see some of the products generated from the sugarcane fields you pass on the way to your resort.
Learn the Secrets of Rum
This is the heart of the visit. At Rhumerie de Saint Aubin and La Maison du Rhum, you can learn all the secrets of rum production from pure sugarcane juice. La Maison du Rhum is the original micro distillery. Small, hands on and full of character. The cane juice here is pressed using a small, hand powered mill, so you see exactly where rum begins. La Rhumerie de Saint Aubin is the larger, traditional distillery. It was built with a copper column to meet demand while keeping quality high. Agricultural rum made from cane juice tends to be fresher and more delicate than molasses rum. You can taste the cane itself.
The Rums of Saint Aubin
The range goes beyond a simple white rum. You will find white rums, aged rums, special releases and fruit liqueurs. The labels carry the date 1819, a nod to those early days on the estate. Here is something worth knowing. In the tropics, rum matures roughly twice as fast in the barrel as it does in Europe. A rum aged ten years in Mauritius is closer to twenty in colder climates. The heat does the hard work.
Lunch on the Veranda
Now, the bit you should save room for. The colonial house has a veranda, and on that veranda you can enjoy traditional Mauritian cuisine. Local flavours, home style cooking and a pace that no hotel buffet can match. You are eating in a house that has stood since 1819. It would be rude to rush. My advice? Book lunch, then take the rum tour. Or do it the other way round and call it research.
Exotic Gardens and Vanilla Plantations
Walk lunch off in the exotic gardens around the house. Then find the vanilla plantations. Vanilla is a labour of love, and seeing it growing will change how you look at that little jar in your kitchen cupboard.
Planning Your Visit
Domaine de Saint Aubin works beautifully as part of a day in the south. Combine it with the Tea Route and a visit to Domaine de Bois Chéri, or with the coast around Souillac and Gris Gris beach. I would allow at least half a day, with lunch in the middle.
If you are planning a holiday to Mauritius and want a day that has nothing to do with sun loungers, explore Domaine de Saint Aubin. Get in touch with us to start planning your Mauritius holiday
