St. Pierre is an up-and-coming town. With a population of 16 000, you know you are in for a treat when you get there. What I wasn’t prepared for was how nice everyone is. Located in what I like to refer to as the heart of Mauritius, this central town is booming.
On the doorstep of Moka, which has suddenly become the place to be, St. Pierre is reaping the benefits of a spillover town. The place to go to get what you need, from great street foods, cheap shopping, loads of smiles, and a market town vibe.
Walking the streets of St. Pierre is a pleasure. The pavements are wide enough and contain rails where they are required. They did seem to be some pedestrian-only areas, but somehow car found their way in.
If you arrive by bus or start your tour from the bus station, there is plenty of parking at Kendra mall, a two-minute walk away, you will be greeted by the ‘Bazaar’. It looks to be a great market, which was closed on the day of our visit, but not to worry, there was plenty of people selling on the street.
The next section seems to contain clothes, but this town believes in diversification. You will find some homegrown vegetables in a shoe shop, or fish tank equipment in a photocopy shop. Everyone seems to have found their spot, including a woman selling seafood outside a huge discount shoe store.
As you walk around one thing you will notice the most is the happy smiling people. Shopkeepers waving and calling you over to say hello and possibly sell you something. The friendly Bonjour of a passing strange on the sidewalk. It really feels good to walk around in this compact town.
Ringing the outside area of the bus station was a host of people selling fresh fruit and veg. Walking past you will bump into the street food section. All of Mauritius’ greatest hits are represented here.
We got some delicious bhajis and battered bread that is deep-fried, which tastes better than it sounds. Everything from roti and dhal puri to paninis and birthday cake are available.
The next section seems to contain clothes, but this town believes in diversification. You will find some homegrown vegetables in a shoe shop, or fish tank equipment in a photocopy shop. Everyone seems to have found their spot, including a woman selling seafood outside a huge discount shoe store.
As you walk around one thing you will notice the most is the happy smiling people. Shopkeepers waving and calling you over to say hello and possibly sell you something. The friendly Bonjour of a passing strange on the sidewalk. It really feels good to walk around in this compact town.
There is a place that serves design your own ramen bowls. It’s called Mine St. Pierre, and you can find it on Google maps if you want to go straight there. I would suggest taking a stroll across the bridge to the church (more about that below). Then follow the road and see some old buildings, some still being used as shops. An abandoned NAAZ build, I also have no idea about that one. Look around it full of interesting things and people.
When you get to the sign that welcomes you to St. Pierre, you have arrived. Inside there is a cabinet full of all kinds of things you can add to a noodle bowl, including a soup to make it into a ramen bowl. I chose the roast beef, with tea-stained egg, green stuff, and Shenzhen sauce. As the sit-down areas are off-limits I got mine for takeaway, which is better anyway, because you get to go eat it in the park.
Eating it at the park is the best option. There are benches and a small gazebo. Enjoy the food while looking at the river, with its fun inhabitants as the town moves around you, but is somehow silenced by nature. The ramen is a must-get dish and if you like roast beef, this was soft and succulent. One of the town’s top calling cards and a strong reason to come back.
The old train station is still in reasonable condition, but it will not remain so for long.
The stonework is still stunning on the northern side, with a few original doors and shutters. The southern side, which also contains the platform is not fairing as well. It is made of wood, and the fact that it never sees the sun has let the rot set in.
The wood is in a beautiful wishbone configuration. Which is only visible because the building has not been repaired. Normal this would have been repaired and painted over, so in a way I am grateful to have seen it, on the other hand, I think it is time it got repaired. The roof has begun to rust away which will be the end of whatever remains of the inside.
Some of the houses near the station have been turned into beautiful offices. Maybe that should be the fate of this beautiful old building as well. Or, as I always like to say, it could be turned into a restaurant, ‘The Sation at St. Pierre gastropub’ has a great ring to it.
April 28, 2019, in Circonstance, St. Pierre, during the excavations for the construction of the drains, workers of the National Development Unit found rails. After the trains disappeared, a road was built on these rails. After this discovery, the work was stopped. How many other tracks remain hidden under the roads.
St Pierre-ès-Liens is the first of the parishes set up in the Central plateau attached to the Pastoral Region of Basses-Plaines-Wilhems in 1769. It was originally called St Jean L’Évangéliste, however, this name was changed three months later, to Saint Pierre-ès-Liens in order to “spare the susceptibilities of Pierre Poivre intendant du Roy”. Not 100% sure what that means.
It was Bishop Lee, parish priest for thirty-two years, who introduced the Lorette sisters to St-Pierre in 1916. Loreto College is a public institution reserved for girls that was set up in 1917. The Loreto Sisters arrived in Mauritius on September 8, 1845, and started a small community.
The parish has had a cemetery since its foundation. In 1824 it was damaged by a cyclone and the church was rebuilt on the same site. The rebuild and the addition of 2 side naves, the tower, and the facade were completed in 1854.
A modern mall with fast foods, clean toilets, branded clothes and a Winners supermarket. As a town grows this type of mall will pop up, it’s a place where you can get KFC or some pizza from Pizza Inn there were a couple of other foods, including a place to buy designer boullette, the dumplings waiting for you in bamboo looking steamers. There was even a stand with fresh made popcorn.
The modern malls in Mauritius do look good, and kind of inviting. This one has an old well out front with a working mechanism, go give it a spin before going in to use the facilities, getting some groceries and maybe if you are you feel like a familiar taste, some KFC or a pizza.
Watch our video of the St Pierre experience.
St. Pierre is a friendly, welcoming place that has a lot to offer. If you are only coming for the day, it will be a busy day, with so much to see, do and eat. A more leisurely two day would suit the town well.
When you visit, be sure to walk the streets, and take the time to walk into the shops and meet the locals, language is not a problem and everyone will be very helpful. If your feet get tired find a spot in the shade of an old tree and have a break, hopefully with a bag of treats or a bowl of ramen.
Hi Mr Brian greetings from Sachse Texas UsA ,i was born raised up to 24 yrs old in Mauritius ,i have been watching you ,lately ,I cannot believe what you are you both doing But It’s amazing,I worked in club Med ,several hotels , Le Grand
Gaube , Grand baie , Balaclava Maritime,i left 1995 then Lived Laguna Niguel California usa ,2018 October i settled in Texas !Naaz building was a theater cinema ,I climbed le Pouce Mountain 3times ,14,15 ,16 yrs old .i was born in Triolet grand parebt place , then 15,18 -24 moved back to mum and Dad.Goodlands .I have not been in Mauritius ever again since ,yet !
Hi Shaiyen, great to hear from you. Thanks for the great comment and the info