Tea in Mauritius, from Bois Chéri to the Tea Route

An everyday drink

In Mauritius, people drink black tea, often with milk and plenty of sugar. For a long time it was sold loose and boiled in a saucepan, with milk delivered every morning by the "marsan dile" (the milkman). Teabags have largely taken over since, but the habit is unchanged.

Hesitant beginnings

The tea plant (Camellia sinensis) is said to have been introduced as early as 1760, under French rule, by a priest, Father Galloys, according to several accounts. In the 19th century the British tried to develop commercial cultivation, but the project was dropped when Governor Robert Farquhar left. It was revived some decades later by Governor Sir John Pope Hennessy, with plantations at Nouvelle-France and Chamarel.

The introduction of tea is sometimes credited to Pierre Poivre, the intendant famous for spices; we found no reliable source to confirm this.

Bois Chéri, a pioneer since 1892

In 1892 the island's first large-scale plantation was created at Bois Chéri, in the south. The estate now covers about 250 hectares of upland, at around 500 metres, on the road to Grand Bassin. Visitors can tour the factory, a tea museum (old machinery, 19th-century tea sets, period documents) and a tasting chalet overlooking a lake and the south of the island.

The main Mauritian brands are Bois Chéri, Chartreuse and Corson. The country produces several thousand tonnes of tea a year, mostly black, with harvesting all year round and a peak from October to March.

Vanilla tea, a speciality

Vanilla tea first appeared in 1919 and is now probably the Mauritian favourite. You'll also find coconut, lemon and red-fruit teas, as well as green tea, iced tea, herbal infusions, and even tea biscuits and tea chutney. In towns, "lotel dite" (tea houses) serve tea with small sweet and savoury snacks. Mauritian tea is also exported, notably to Europe and China.

The Tea Route

This tourist itinerary links three historic estates in the south: Domaine des Aubineaux, Domaine de Bois Chéri and Domaine de Saint-Aubin. It makes a lovely day of colonial houses, plantations and tastings.

Tips

The uplands are cooler and wetter than the coast, so bring a light jumper. And try the vanilla tea on site, with a few local biscuits.