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Poudre d'Or Village

The Village is located to the Northeast of Mauritius. It covers an area of 8.640km2. In 2020, the population was estimated at 4200.

The village is world famous for the novel Paul et Virginie which describes a poignant love story like Romeo and Juliet. The shipwreck of St Géran ship on the night of 17/18 August 1744 served as background. Some 149 people died including about 100 slaves.

Poudre d’Or was the regional Centre of the North. It hosted a military garrison, a District Court, a prison, a hospital and a Church inaugurated in 1848. Père Laval was a regular visitor. The sugar-laden barges plying between the Southeast and Port Louis made a stop at Poudre d’Or.  

With the growth of Rivière du Rempart, Poudre d’Or lost its attractiveness. The Paul et Virginie beach with the Monument was laid waste.

In 2009, the Association pour le Développement Durable (ADD) undertook to rehabilitate the site and consolidate the coastal zone. The EU provided initial funding but soon considerable resources were offered by national institutions, individuals, NGOs and the private sector.

http://addmauritius.org/images/projects/stela-add-poudre-dor.jpg  

The local inhabitants and the Village Council members were taken in confidence. Along with several Ministries, various institutions, ADD rehabilitated the site, giving pride of place to the polished Monument, 2000m2 of sandy beach, a kiosk, benches and a toilet facility designed for the handicapped. The Village regained its high profile nationally and internationally with thousands of visitors, tourists and local inhabitants.