Things to Do Near St Félix and Chemin Grenier
We live five minutes along the coast from St Félix and Rivière des Galets, in Riambel. Guests from the resorts here often tell us the same thing: they came for the quiet, and then wondered what the south is like beyond the hotel gate. This is the slow, local version.
The south is for slowing down
This stretch of coast has no big towns, no traffic jams and very few tourist crowds. Everything on this page is within about twenty-five minutes of St Félix, most of it much closer, and almost all of it is easy to reach by taxi from your hotel.
A word on the sea: the water off St Félix is calmer than most of the south coast, but much of the coast around it has no protecting reef and strong currents. Check the conditions with your hotel before swimming anywhere outside the resort beach.
A few minutes from the resorts
Six simple pleasures you can walk to, or reach with a short taxi ride.
St Félix beach and promenade
A wide public beach shaded by trees, with a paved path that runs along the shore towards Pomponette. Lovely for a sunrise walk or an evening stroll, and full of local families on weekends.
Rivière des Galets
The fishing village beside St Félix, whose name means “river of pebbles”. Its quiet beach, fishing boats and long views back along the coast make it a lovely place to walk, well away from any crowds. As everywhere on this coast, check conditions before swimming.
Pomponette beach
The wilder neighbour of St Félix: open sand, waves breaking close to shore and almost nobody around. Beautiful to walk, but there are no lifeguards and the sea can be rough.
Riambel beach
Two and a half kilometres of sand with no hotel on it, where local fishermen and riders on horseback share the shore. Best early in the morning or as the light softens.
Chemin Grenier village
The local village: small shops, stalls along the main road and daily life carrying on as it always has. Stop for a chat; this is the south as Mauritians live it.
Roadside snacks
Dholl puri, gato piment (little chilli cakes), samoussas and fresh fruit with chilli salt are the everyday snacks of the south. Buy them hot from the stalls along the road; ask your driver to stop.
Five to twenty-five minutes away
Culture, waterfalls and cliffs, all close enough for a morning or an afternoon out.
Heritage Spice House, Riambel
Yes, this one is ours. A family heritage house with a museum of everyday Mauritian life, an old family kitchen and a living garden of spices and medicinal plants. Grind your own masala on the volcanic stone, sip herbal tea from the garden and taste traditional food. About 90 minutes, closed Wednesdays. Book your time.
Rochester Falls
Water spilling over tall basalt columns into a wide pool, hidden at the end of a cane-field track. Ask your driver to take you as far as the track allows, then walk the last few minutes.
Gris Gris and Souillac
The southern tip of the island, where the Indian Ocean crashes against black cliffs. Walk along the clifftop, then sit in the shade of the Telfair Gardens in Souillac. Stay behind the barriers; this sea is not for swimming.
St Aubin
A colonial sugar estate house with a small rum distillery, a vanilla plantation and gardens. A gentle, guided visit with a sit-down lunch; book ahead through your hotel.
La Vanille Nature Park
Giant Aldabra tortoises you can walk among, crocodiles and a large insect collection. Best first thing in the morning, when the animals are most active.
Bel Ombre
A calm lagoon protected by a reef, a nature reserve in the hills and a restored 19th-century château with gardens. See our guide to things to do near Bel Ombre.
Tea, colours and cooler air
Head inland for a different side of the south: tea fields, forest and the cooler air of the plateau.
Bois Chéri tea estate
Rolling tea fields, a working tea factory and a tasting with views over the south. A calm half day that pairs well with a visit to our spice garden.
Vallée Advenature Park
Coloured volcanic earth, waterfalls you can swim in, zip lines and quads at Chamouny. The adventurous option, best booked a day ahead.
A slow half day from your resort
The kind of morning we suggest to couples who want to see the real south without rushing.
- Early: a sunrise walk along the St Félix promenade.
- 09:00 or 11:00: Heritage Spice House, five minutes away. Herbal tea from the garden, the museum, grinding masala together on the stone, and traditional tastings. About 90 minutes.
- Late morning: Gris Gris and the Souillac clifftop gardens, fifteen minutes on.
- Lunch: back at your resort, or a long lunch at St Aubin.
Prefer the evening? Our Mauritian cooking class is an evening at our family table: you cook a three-course meal with us, then sit down together to eat it.
Without a car. Most guests here come by taxi; the ride to us is about five minutes. Ask your driver to wait, or ask us to call one for the trip back. Your hotel concierge can also book your visit time for you.
Questions we get asked
What is there to do near St Félix apart from the beach?
Heritage Spice House is five minutes away, with a heritage museum, a spice and herbal garden and traditional tastings. Rochester Falls, Gris Gris and St Aubin are each within about twenty minutes.
Can I swim at St Félix?
The water here is calmer than most of the south coast, but conditions change. Check with your hotel and never swim at Pomponette or Gris Gris, where the waves and currents are strong.
Do I need a car?
No. Everything on this page is a short taxi ride, and your hotel can arrange drivers by the hour.
What is good on a rainy day?
Our museum and kitchen are under cover, as is the Bois Chéri tea factory. Waterfalls are at their most dramatic after rain.
Is it suitable for couples?
Very. Many of our visitors are couples staying nearby; the visit is small and unhurried, and the evening cooking class is a lovely shared experience.
Five minutes from St Félix
We are on Teeluck Lane, Riambel. Open 08:30–18:00, every day except Wednesday, with visits at 09:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00. Book your time ahead so we can welcome you properly.
Come and see it today
MUR 200
Museum, grinding demonstration, herbal tea and the boutique.
MUR 375
Museum, ancestral kitchen, spice garden, hand-grinding and tastings. Children MUR 200.
Thu – Tue
Last entry 17:00. Free onsite parking at the gate.
Walk in and join the next start time, or book ahead to hold your place. Open every day except Wednesday.