Eager for novelty and change, Julie, a project management and digital marketing consultant, decided to drop her bags in Mauritius in 2018 for an indefinite period. Living in Mauritius: here’s her review, published in July 2024!
What’s life like in Mauritius?
My husband and I arrived in Mauritius as a couple, and now we’re 4 + dog and cat. I write about my expatriation and my daily life through my blog FromParisToMoris.com and my social networks.
I’ll be honest with you, Mauritius wasn’t on my list of destinations at first. Yes, I wanted to move abroad, but I was thinking more along the lines of Canada, Australia, Singapore and Switzerland.
Why Mauritius
Mauritius initially presented itself to my husband, who had a professional opportunity. We were both tired of Paris and its hectic pace, so we took the plunge and each landed a contract to work for a local company before we even moved there.
A well-known vacation destination, we naturally did our homework to make sure that life was easy for expatriates too. I had no idea that there were so many French speakers (French and Belgians in particular) on this little rock lost in the middle of the Indian Ocean, with a population of less than 1.3 million.
Mauritius: our first impressions
It’s true, the beaches are just like on the postcards: the sea is turquoise blue, the weather is beautiful and warm, very warm.
Almost everyone speaks French, much to my astonishment.
The country is less modern than in Europe, less advanced in terms of technology, ecology, e-commerce, waste management and so on. It’s an opportunity to finally try out the concept of “slow-life”, taking the time to live. The kindness of Mauritians is no myth, and I can see it every day.
There’s also the other side of the coin that you don’t see on the postcard:
- pollution: litter all over the island and clouds of black smoke spewed out by vehicles such as buses,
- the many stray dogs, which in reality are not vicious,
- a fairly high cost of living (on imported products),
- school fees and health costs to be factored into the budget.
We also discover the local gastronomy with its boiled mines, fried rice, chillies and other gadjacks (salty snacks)
The Mauritian administration is not so different from that of France, and you need to be patient, especially when it comes to obtaining your residence or work permit.
We soon meet expatriates like us and little by little we’ve formed a circle of friends with whom we exchange tips and good plans.
→ I refer you to my article on things to know before moving here
Daily life in Mauritius
Mauritians love shopping malls, and they spring up all over the island. You’ll find familiar names from our former lives: Decathlon, Super U, Mango, la Foir’ Fouille, Gifi, to name but a few. We miss Amazon Prime, Ikea and supermarket “drive” formulas, but we’re getting used to it.
Rents vary from place to place, but have risen sharply since the end of Covid and the arrival of a large number of French and Belgian expatriates, as well as South Africans and Russians.
In terms of transport, it’s very difficult not to have a car. Without a driver’s license, things will be much more complicated. And don’t forget, we drive on the left-hand side of the road, a legacy of the British occupation. But don’t worry, you’ll soon get the hang of it, especially with an automatic. On the other hand, no Uber here, so you’ll need to have a few cab contacts in your repertoire.
→ My article on driving in Mauritius
When it comes to food, you’ll be able to find almost all the products you had in metropolitan France, at a different price perhaps. We like to swap apricots, cherries and peaches for bananas, papayas and pineapples (and lychees for Christmas). Beware of pesticides: there’s no such thing as “organic”, but rather “reasoned agriculture”.
Weekends in Mauritius
Weekends are more than just weekends, they give us the impression of being on vacation, with the sea never far away. We take advantage of resident rates to get discounts in the big hotels. On the other hand, to travel, you’ll have no choice but to take the plane, and unfortunately tickets aren’t cheap.
Mauritian culture and society
Mauritians are a melting pot of many communities. They are Indian, Muslim, Creole, Chinese and Caucasian/White. The festivals of all these communities are celebrated in the Mauritian calendar, with 15 public holidays a year.
You’re invited to Indian weddings where you eat a “7 caris” with your hands, or a Muslim wedding where you taste the tasty “briani”.
At Divali, the Hindu festival of lights, you’ll be offered cakes by neighbors, friends or colleagues. I’ve noticed that all these communities are tolerant and respect each other.
Children and education
Our 2 children were born in Mauritius and health insurance is highly recommended, whether international or local. My deliveries went very well and I was satisfied with the medical care provided locally (I’m talking here about private clinic services).
In any case, the question of school soon arose. We hesitated for a long time between international schools and local French schools. I talked a lot with my mom friends, who gave me feedback on their children’s schools. The cost of these schools is not negligible compared to local schools. These private school fees represent a real budget. It’s absolutely essential to take it into consideration when planning an expatriation.
In all cases, we have pre-registered our children in different establishments. We give ourselves time to think about the final choice.
For the time being, we prefer French education in the island’s AEFE schools. English is a subject that is emphasized from an early age here, more so than in France.
As the children are still small for the time being, we have enrolled them in Mauritian nurseries and kindergartens because of their proximity to where we live. We’re thinking of moving to be closer to the schools, as my husband and I both work from home.
Leisure activities
Of course, you can snorkel, dive, kitesurf (at Le Morne), swim and surf. But there’s more to Mauritius than beaches and water sports.
In winter, from May to September, it’s hiking and trail walking season. You can discover a different, rougher, greener and still unspoilt Mauritius. Not to mention the paddle tennis trend that’s all the rage at the moment.
For the kids, you’ll also find an animal park, zoo, riding club, oceanarium and other indoor playgrounds.
→ My article on activities for kids
Conclusion
After 6 years here, I’m happy with my life. On the whole, there are more positives than negatives. My quality of life is definitely better than it was in the Paris region.
Life is certainly different from what it would have been if I’d stayed in mainland France. I’m delighted to be able to offer my children the opportunity to grow up in a multicultural country, to learn several languages from an early age, and all in a safe environment.
An important point for us is that this was a couple project, and we had discussed our wishes and expectations at length. Expatriation brought us face to face with many questions, and sometimes conflicts within the couple. In fact, from one day to the next, it was just the 2 of us. With friends and family gone, it was just the 2 of us, at least at first.
Expatriation remains an enriching life experience, whether long or short term. Despite speaking French and being so close to Réunion Island, Mauritius is not France. It’s a real expatriation and it’s best to be prepared for it.
I hope my site provides you with some useful information.
If you’d like to settle down to Mauritius, why not get some help?
