Despite the heavy rain outside, the atmosphere inside the restaurant of the Jardins de Beau Vallon (Beau Vallon gardens) is warm and cosy. This restaurant, which retains all the character of the huge colonial house in which it is found, accommodates up to 70 people in a simple but stylish décor.You can enjoy your cocktail while waiting for the meal you have ordered in the comfortable armchairs on the outside veranda.

The warm colours used for the interior decoration (yellow with some touches of red) contribute to the friendly and welcoming atmosphere. The creole style used for the outside architecture of the house as well as the furniture combines very well with the Indian touch that can be felt with the use of ?saris? and ?hornis? on tables and walls. As if to remind people that Mauritius is a mixture of all these different cultures.

The restaurant, which is not far from the village of Mahebourg in the south of the country opened its doors to both tourists and Mauritians about one year ago. ?But this colonial house has existed for more than 120 years. It used to be the residence of the manager of Beau-Vallon and Riche-en-Eau sugar estates. Our company, Food Vision Ltd, now manages the place,? explains Satish Ramdauth, who is in charge of the restaurant.

He further remarks that the south seems to be taking on more and more importance at the moment (the fact that the official celebration of the national day took place there may be a proof) and they are undeniably benefiting from this. Tourists and Mauritians both enjoy a visit to the Mahebourg market every Monday or to the museum or again to the famous manioc biscuit factory. So a stop-over at Beau-Vallon to enjoy a Mauritian meal is always welcome.

The Gardens are also open for any type of private reception. They can cater for up to 300 people serving different buffets ? Indian, Chinese, grills or special menus. They can even adapt to the customers? wishes as long as the ingredients for the meal can be found locally.

The place has in fact been subject to many changes since its opening and is still being developed so as to try and meet the expectations of its clientele with even more success. On the first floor, the company has fitted out two rooms for visitors wishing to stay for a few days.

Honeymooners will love it

Both rooms provide all facilities: television, air conditioning, and a mini-bar. Each one also has an adjoining bathroom and a terrace directly overlooking the garden. Depending on the room chosen ? one is bigger than the other ? the prices vary between Rs 1,200 and Rs 1,600 for a couple, including continental breakfast. A swimming pool has recently been built in the garden and, in about one month, a bar and restaurant will serve lighter meals and snacks.

In the middle of the garden, a third room ? the restaurant manager as well as the rest of the staff like to call it the ?Pavillon? ? seems to be the perfect place for honeymooners. It is self-contained, includes the same facilities as the two other rooms but the four-poster bed and the diffused light really make a difference...