La Belle Rodriguaise

La Belle Rodriguaise is stylish and on the south-eastern coast of Rodrigues, delicately placed over the superb white sandy beaches of Graviers. The charming retreat has a lot to offer from a ’Guesthouse’ style approach during dinners and breakfast, to the recently modernized bedrooms with a refreshing new style. There is now also air-conditioning and satellite television in all the rooms!

Once you arrive you can feel the stress of life evaporating in the tranquil, sun-drenched atmosphere. The tropical breezes of Rodrigues will gently remove all the pressures of life as you settle in for the most relaxing time of your life. Certainly away from the hustle and bustle of the main island of Mauritius.

The guesthouse of La Belle is set in natural surroundings in a tropical garden extending over two hectares. On one side you will find the turquoise blue and greens of the ocean in its entire splendour beckoning you, and on the other the beautiful Mountain Chérie (Darling Mountain). Your view will be right in between, soaking in the best of both worlds!!

Your hostess, Françoise Baptiste, will tempt your taste buds daily with her masterpieces of local cuisine that will compliment perfectly the beautiful surroundings. Her expertise is well known. She has recently authored a book featuring local delicacies titled “Delicious Rodrigues”.

Her talents will be seen daily as she cooks up some fresh and innovative ways of presenting seafood and the other local delights available on the island. The delicacies will include free range hormone free chicken to seafood so fresh they look like they have jumped straight from the sea onto your plate! Rodrigues is also famous for its small-scale production of local delicatessen such as black pudding, sausages and galantine.

Aware of the need to use renewable energy and to keep La Belle as green as possible, Françoise and her husband, Laval, have installed solar water heaters for the showers. They are working on a plan to install a wind turbine to supply electricity.

La Belle Rodriguaise offers a personalized service tailored to all your needs. Young and dynamic, the team will make every effort to ensure that your holidays will be a relaxing time of peace and discovery, in a secure environment.

A dozen rooms are tucked into the tropical garden with each room offering a special ambiance, with the rooms on the ground floor offer a more spacious floor plan. Designed to reflect the Creole soul, all rooms have stunning sea views and overlook a splendid lagoon whose shades of blue oscillate between turquoise and lapis lazuli. Every room faces east and is blessed by the stunning morning sunrise. The design and decoration of the rooms features authenticity, tranquillity and exoticism.

Each room is independent and equipped with modern fixtures in the bathroom. Your room will open up to a terrace or a private balcony. All the rooms have air conditioner, satellite television, warm water bathrooms and they have all recently been updated with a modern style.

Dining is done in a spacious bungalow in a Creole-style that overlooks the garden, the pool and the lagoon. This is where traditional Rodrigues cuisine will be served to you from authentic and typically Creole products from the region or from their own vegetable garden. Your palate will delight with the delicious fritters, the salads and achards (pickles) of pawpaw or vegetables, grilled fish, octopus in curcuma, red beans, charcuterie (delicatessen) and coconut tarts!

In the evening, the time of the aperitif is a privileged moment when guests meet around lemon/honey punches and gajacks (appetizers) in a very convivial atmosphere. Guests then move to the common dining table, often in the presence of the owners, and share their experiences of the day whilst tucking into the meal prepared with tender loving care by the hosts.

If your relaxation needs include any of the following activities then you have found the perfect spot:

• Nautical sports: Kite surf, diving with tuba or bottles, traditional fishing with local fishermen, swimming pool and jet spa.
• Excursions & trekking: Maps detailing the sites to be discovered and the green tracks are available.
• Massages: The masseuse will be glad to assist in your relaxation by offering you a massage in the privacy of your room or in the special area on the beach.
• Creole cuisine classes: Françoise will initiate you to the cuisine of Rodrigues: pawpaw fritters, coconut cakes & octopus daube.
• Sewing classes: Local seamstresses with fairy fingers can produce beautiful evening dresses and more relaxed attires. They will take you to town to choose your material.
• Initiation to the local pharmacopoeia: In the garden grows various herbs and medicinal plants that can take care of such ailments as indigestion, nausea, flu, tiredness etc.
• Babysitting: Babysitting can be arranged to allow parents some personal free time.

From La Belle Rodriguaise, leisurely strolls and green excursions will take you over sometimes steep tracks that will lead over the hills to a plateau offering amazing views overlooking the sea. You will discover sandy beaches and weather-beaten sea cliffs drenched by the incoming tides. Guided tours of the neighbouring villages and their surroundings such as Source Ti Gomme can be organized upon request. You will also be introduced to the Creole traditions and will meet small planters and local fishermen and may even practice their artisan fishing methods with them.

Yes…Rodrigues offers various facets of traditional lifestyle that is fast disappearing in the world and the people of Rodrigues will always greet you with a welcoming smile and the open mindedness that characterizes them!