We had to start with the famous haleem from the blue hut on the beach. Riki got the noodles and the two of them were only 100 rupees, throw in a flambe banana and you have an awesome three-course meal. We ate it on the wall overlooking the sea, with a hungry dog watching our every move.
Off to the national monument to the Saint Geran, a stark obelisk to the tragedy that could have easily been avoided. There is a plaque showing you where all the passes are and where the ships sank. Under normal circumstances, the benches and kiosk would have been a great respite to those coming to enjoy the view. Across the way, we could make out a house overlooking the bay.
The house is listed on Airbnb at 38 euros a night and it looks well worth it. Beautiful modern conveniences with everything you would need for an extended stay. It came with free kayaks, but the views are what really make it a great place to stay for a few nights.
A quick stop at Saint Mark’s church built in 1888, for the local soldiers in a nearby barracks so they could avoid the two-mile walk to the next closest church.
Saint Philimon, I mean, Marie Reine church, with its strange tax history, towers over the surrounding area. Build out of necessity it had multiple taxes collected to get it built, but it never seemed to get going. Finally, father Laval supplied a design based on the great churches of Normandy and ground was broken in 1841. It was refurbed in 1997, a hundred and fifty years after its completion, but the work goes on.
A brief stop at the Citronelle river to watch a man performing the intangible heritage art of making a fishing net and to see a goat. The river is also home to a beautiful park, Coin Du Nord accommodation, and picturesque views.
The main road to Goodlands, Riviera Du Rampart, and Poste De Flacq meet at a large traffic circle, triangle, with the old and new police station. The old buildings date is unknown, but around 1840. It is constantly surrounded by traffic, mostly of the bus kind. The old wooden roof is now protected by a new steel roof.
Back to the sea and a bit more intangible heritage. Nelzir Ventre the storyteller from Poudre D’Or and some fine examples of perogue boats. We were lucky to come on the day of the great kid’s boating regatta, well some kids were racing their homemade sailboats in the sea. They showed great building skills to have the boats tacking into the wind. We sat on some concrete seats made from old oil drums and talked about the storyteller, old Nelzir Ventre.
A short visit to the hospital built in 1846, and a quick glimpse at the barracks and we were off to the abandoned Wisdom House, Campement Lagesse. Well situated on the seafront, with views from the veranda that would cost a fortune in a tourist town. Sadly it is falling to ruin, and with no roof, it will soon belong to the ever-encroaching banyan trees.
We closed out the great day on the main pier with its picnic and BBQ zone, overlooking the mangroves as they slowly turned to gold in the setting sun.
Poudre d’Or is one of our favourite seaside fishing villages in Mauritius, definitely try the haleem and noodles and the beach.