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Our Family Story

From a village tradition of hand-ground spices in Trois Boutiques, to a place built on family VRS land to honour the generations who came before us.

Open 08:30 – 18:00 · Closed Wednesdays

Walk-ins welcome · Book ahead

Adults MUR 375

Where our story began

Heritage Spice House did not create the tradition. It was created to preserve it

The story of Heritage Spice House did not begin when we opened our doors to visitors. It began generations earlier in Trois Boutiques, a small village in the south of Mauritius, where our family learned to grind and blend spices by hand.

Years later we built Heritage Spice House on family VRS land, as a way of honouring the hard work and sacrifices of our grandparents — and of preserving the knowledge, objects and traditions they left behind.

A tradition born in Trois Boutiques

Our roots lie in Trois Boutiques, a village in the south of Mauritius near the airport. Long before Heritage Spice House existed, our family was already preparing spices there by hand — whole spices selected, ground and blended using traditional methods, the knowledge passed naturally from one generation to the next.

It was not something our family called heritage at the time. It was simply how things were done.

The skill behind the spices

Traditional spice preparation takes time. Whole ingredients must be selected, prepared, ground and blended until the right texture, aroma and balance are reached.

The technique was learned by watching, helping and doing rather than from written recipes or machines. Through generations it became part of our family’s knowledge in Trois Boutiques — and the spices we sell today are still ground by hand there.

The generations who gave us our foundation

Heritage Spice House is a tribute to the generations who worked before us. Our grandparents lived through a Mauritius where everyday life demanded hard work, patience and resourcefulness, and their efforts created the opportunities the generations after them have had.

Working with what was available, respecting the land, preserving food and knowledge, making the most of simple things — those values became the inspiration behind this place.

The VRS land that became Heritage Spice House

The land where Heritage Spice House stands came into our family through the Voluntary Retirement Scheme. The VRS was part of the restructuring of the Mauritian sugar industry, through which eligible workers could voluntarily retire, with land forming part of some beneficiary arrangements.

For us this land means more than a piece of property. It carries the story of the work and the sacrifices of the generation before us. When we decided what its future should be, we wanted to create something that respected that history rather than simply develop it and forget where it came from.

Their hard work gave us the land. We chose to make it a place that remembers them.

From family tradition to a living experience

The idea came from bringing two parts of our story together: a family tradition of grinding spices by hand in Trois Boutiques, and family land connected to the hard work of our grandparents.

We began imagining a place where visitors could discover more than finished spices — the work behind them, the tools once used around the home, the plants families depended on, and the knowledge that helped earlier generations live with what they had.

★★★★★

“We found this hidden pearl during our search for spices. What we appreciated the most is that it’s not just a shop but an opportunity to learn about the island’s culinary heritage.”

Ruut R., Ypres, Belgium

Objects with real stories

Antiques from a way of life we remember

These objects are not displayed simply because they are old. They let us explain how people cooked, prepared ingredients and managed everyday tasks before modern conveniences. Some carry a particularly close connection to our own family.

Harmonium

Belonged to our grandfather, who played and sang during gamat and wedding celebrations, bringing music to family gatherings.

Sewing machine

Used by our grandmother to stitch and repair the family’s clothes, when making things at home was part of everyday life.

Charcoal iron

Used by our grandmother to iron the family’s clothes. Hot charcoal left over from cooking was placed inside and reused instead of wasted.

Still practised today

The spices available through Heritage Spice House are still ground and blended by hand in Trois Boutiques, continuing a method our family has practised through generations. This is living heritage — not a tradition recreated only for tourists.

From our family to the world

Why we opened our story to visitors

We chose to share it

We could have kept these memories and traditions within the family. Mauritius is often discovered through beaches and famous attractions, but some of the island’s most meaningful stories are found in ordinary homes, villages and kitchens.

Still a family story

We welcome visitors into a place built from our family’s history and invite them to ask questions and take part, rather than walk past displays. Every guest becomes part of the next chapter.

One story among many

Every Mauritian family carries its own history. Ours is only one of them. Together, thousands of family stories form the larger heritage of Mauritius.

From our family to yours

Come experience the story with us

From the hand-ground spices of Trois Boutiques to the VRS land where Heritage Spice House now stands, every part of this place carries a piece of our family’s journey. Read about the museum, the grinding stone, the gardens and the tastings.

Tickets

Come and see it today

Passing through

MUR 200

30 minutes

Museum, grinding demonstration, herbal tea and the boutique.

The full journey

MUR 375

1.5 hours

Museum, ancestral kitchen, spice garden, hand-grinding and tastings. Children MUR 200.

Opening hours

Thu – Tue

08:30 – 18:00

Last entry 17:00. Free onsite parking at the gate.

Book ahead, or join the next visit

Visits begin at 09:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00, every day except Wednesday. Book to hold your place and we will be expecting you — or simply turn up and join the next one. Full detail on the visit page.