La Vieille Cheminée

La Vieille Cheminée is home to six rustic and homely lodges. Built in a classic Creole style, each lodge is fully equipped for self-catering and also include air conditioning and barbecue facilities. Charming en-suite bathrooms are found in every lodge and three of the lodges have fireplaces, useful on chilly winter nights. 4G boxes can be hired from reception in order to give you access to WiFi within your lodge.

The lodges consist of:

• One bedroom lodge (two adults)
• Two-bedroom lodge (four adults)
• Three bedroom lodge (six adults)
• Two-bedroom lodge (family, two adults + two children)
• 2 One-bedroom lodges (two adults + 1 child)

There are no restaurants or bars at La Vieille Cheminée. However, the lodges are fully-equipped for self-catering and, with 24h notice, meals can be pre-ordered on the site.

The farm is home to six horses and, for an extra cost, offers guided 1h guided excursions on horseback around the local area. Guests must have prior experience of horse-riding to be allowed on.

You should be at the stables at least 30 mins before the ride. You will be offered a fresh juice or a cup of coffee then meet your guide and the horses. We will give you a few explanations and help you get geared up for your ride.

Please note the following concerning the guided horse rides at La Vieille Cheminée:

• Riders are required to have some experience in horse riding and we will not allow total beginners to join the guided ride
• The guide reserves the right to cancel or switch to a “handheld” tour in the case that riders have a bad physical condition or show a low level of horse riding
• All riders are required to wear riding boots, protective helmets and protective vests which can be provided at no extra cost by La Vieille Cheminée
• All riders are required to sign a “disclaimer form” acknowledging that they are doing this activity at their own risk
• For security reasons, during or following extreme rain conditions, the guide can’t guarantee trotting or galloping during the ride
• Riders heavier than 90 kgs aren’t accepted
• Children younger than 5 years old aren’t accepted
• For your own comfort, it is preferable to wear long pants (a pair of jeans ideally)
• No guided rides available on Sundays and Public Holidays
• Bookings should be made at least 24h before

A tour of the farm is offered at a small cost, during which guests can see the remnants of the tea and sugar cane farming that was taking place as far back as the 19th century, with The Old Chimney serving as a remnant of the old sugar cane estate. Today, the farm focuses on sustainable farming and produces its own compost, wood chippings and potting soil. Guests will be offered the chance to discover and taste the products of the tropical farm, which include bananas, pineapples, citrus fruits and avocado.

Five hiking trails ranging from 2km to 6km have their starting points on the property and, depending on the trail, will take you through pineapple and banana fields, palm tree plantations, along meandering rivers and into the shade of lush indigenous forests.

La Vieille Cheminée is an 80-hectare property with a working farm which follows ecological principles. For instance, La Vieille Cheminée is passionate about recycling and ensuring that compost, potting soil and wood chips are packed in 100% recyclable bags made from recycled plastic, which support a non-government organisation called Mission Verte which works to preserve the environment in Mauritius. The farm is also working to reduce the amount of single-use plastic that it uses, swapping shop bags to paper ones.

A compost bucket is also available outside each of the lodges, making it easy for guests to recycle waste that can be used to nurture the farm.

Rainwater is collected from the roof and stored in underground tanks, before being used to water the vegetable garden, conserving water.

La Vieille Cheminée works to reverse negative impacts on the environment by restoring soil and improving the water cycle through responsible farming practices. The farm uses permaculture and organic farming practices, such as cover crops, crop rotation, composting and pasture cropping, all of which can increase food production and help the topsoil to regenerate.

Over the last decade, over 2,000 species of trees have been planted in La Vieille Cheminée’s endemic tree nursery as part of a program to restore Mauritius’ forests, hopefully, one day recreating how they appeared centuries ago. Guests staying at La Vieille Cheminée are able to be a part of this project by planting a tree in the nursery, which the team will assist you with.

La Vieille Cheminée uses traditional farming techniques that place sustainability first, leaving out harmful products such as pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilisers which can be damaging to the soil, reducing its pH and turning it acidic, and harmful to animals. The farm produces local fruits and vegetables, with natural compost, potting soil and wood chips.