Mon Loisir Rouillard – Endemika – Bryan discovers world

The adventure did not start well.

Mon Loisir is the name of quite a few sugar mills, and most of them seem to be Riviera du Rampart. As for the Rouillard’s, well it seems their TV was broken (or the ancient equivalent of a TV, a piano or bible or something, let me know in the comments what you though was broken) and they are rather numerous.

To make it even worst, the famous 1880 map, that Riki uses for everything, did not list the sugar estate. Instead it claimed the estate was call Mon Loisir Levullard. I kid you not when I say Google came back with zero results. As it is still Google and we are in Mauritius there was a suggestion that we might like to look at some all inclusive resorts.

If you are a follower of ours, you will know how much those ads drive Riki insane.

Below is an ad for something.

Sorry, that's a fake ad to wind up Riki

1880 map with Mon Loisir Levullard marked

Riki send me the following:

“Difficult to find information as there is another more famous mill with the name Mon Loisir and there are many Rouillards connected to the sugar industry in Mauritius. There is also the famous Edouard Rouillard whose horse won the Duke of York cup in Mauritius. He is not directly connected to this mill, except perhaps through family lines.

Then of course there is Guy Rouillard who wrote The History of Sugar in Mauritius.”

She did find out more, as she is a bit of a Pitbull when it comes to information. She digs up rabbit holes and never lets go. Google maps link to the place here.

Steam boiler with evaporation pot and a plant

The bit she found out:

Owned by Edouard Rouillard. Closed in 1872 according to some sources but Edoaurd Rouillard is a co-owner but is only born in 1867 (perhaps children are automatically co-owners).

One of the first listed owners is another Edouard Rouillard (1795-1857) – (great uncle maybe to the next Eduoard)

In medieval slang the term Rouillard denoted a type of barrel

The wind mill and reservoir

Rouillard, Edouard, – 1867 – 1930 (Marie Jean Louis Edouard Rouillard)
Sworn and Exchange Broker.

Mr. Edouard Rouillard was born in February, 1867, in Mauritius, and started business in 1885 as a clerk until 1890, when he became a sworn and exchange broker.

He is co-owner of Mon Loisir (Rouillard) Estate

Director of the Bel Ombre Sugar Estate, Constance Sugar Estate, Central Dock Co., Mauritius Pharmacy Co., Ltd., Central Rum Warehouse Co., Forges et Fonderies de Maurice, and the “Flore Mauricienne.” restaurant in Port Louis and director of Le Mauricien newspaper.

Evaporation pots

He is also a member of the Chamber of Commerce and is a steward of the Mauritius Turf Club (but not the one who won the Duke of York cup).

Connection to Belle Ombre – Belle Ombre was owned by Charles Telfair in 1816. He created vegetable gardens and installed the first horizontal mill. In 1910, nearly 100 years later Edouard Roullard becomes one of the owners.

Rajcoomar Gujadhur – acquires the mill in the early 20th century and makes a fortune during the post world war 1 sugar boom. He started as milk producer.

Baby Mapou trees.

The site is currently owned by Emdemika. As their name suggests, they are trying to introduce endemic plants back into Mauritius. You can buy them on site at there nursery.

Check out my walk around the place on YouTube.

It was a fun walk about, until I got locked in. Ignore the panicked look in my eyes.

Mon Loisir Rouillard – Endemika