Les Pailles (Mauritius)

Pailles is a little village that sits at the foot of a verdant hill between the capital and Curepipe. When I walked around its little streets, I saw all kinds of houses: large, small, flashy, modest … This is, however, a village to come to if you want to experience some peace and quiet in Mauritius, except on evenings when festivals and celebrations are taking place.

Domaine Les Pailles, which stands set back on one of the parcels of land here, is home to a conference centre, riding stables and a number of restaurants. It gets very busy when shows or other large events are organised here. The rest of the time it's a peaceful, relaxing place where you can go horse riding, dine out at a restaurant or simple enjoy the fresh air. Something you absolutely must photograph at Domaine Les Pailles is the colonial house at the entrance, which actually houses a restaurant.

An afternoon should suffice to visit and explore Pailles and its estate in most cases.