Staying at a Mauritius Eco Lodge with Kids: Our La Vieille Cheminée Family Review
- minna
- 2 hours ago
- 5 min read
When you imagine a family holiday to Mauritius, you probably picture white sand beaches, palm trees, and turquoise water. What you probably do not picture is waking up in the lush mountains with horses walking right past your window, picking fresh herbs from a garden, and collecting eggs for tomorrow's breakfast. That is exactly what La Vieille Cheminée is, and it turned out to be one of the absolute best surprises the island had in store for us.
We arrived at La Vieille Cheminée on day four of our two week trip, straight after a morning spent exploring the Seven Coloured Earth and Chamarel Waterfall. We really had not expected the beautiful drive in. The road winds through an active farm complex before you reach the lodges, and the sense of arriving somewhere that genuinely does things rather than simply looks nice is immediate. Between the chickens, the horses, the vegetable gardens, and the fresh smell of the mountains, it perfectly set the tone for everything that followed.
Getting There and the Basics
La Vieille Cheminée is located high up in the mountains in the south of Mauritius, very close to Chamarel. It makes an incredibly natural base for exploring the Seven Coloured Earth, Chamarel Waterfall, Black River Gorges National Park, and La Morne Beach, which are all within a short drive. We used our rental car for this part of the trip, which I highly recommend as the roads between the sites are straightforward and having a car gives you complete freedom with kids.
One important practical note before you book is that the eco lodges require a minimum stay of two nights. Honestly, you will want at least that long to fully soak up the farm and explore the surrounding national park anyway! Rates start from around £130 per night, which includes your breakfast.
Inside the Eco Lodge
Each lodge is a self contained cabin set within the farm grounds. They come with their own covered outdoor dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, mosquito nets on the beds, and essential air conditioning. The outdoor dining space is where breakfast is delivered each morning, and where you end up spending a good portion of your time simply because the view over the mountains is too good to leave.
The lodge is cosy rather than large, but it has absolutely everything you need. Having a full kitchen means you can cook your own meals if you want to, which is a lifesaver with young children whose schedules do not always align with normal restaurant hours.
There is even a small kids swing outside, which our daughter managed to find before we had even finished unpacking our bags!
The Honesty Shop and Mountain Dining
Next to the stables, there is a brilliant small shop stocked with absolute basics like pasta, tinned tomatoes, and pantry staples. However, the freezer section is the real find. It is packed with homemade frozen meals prepared by the farm team. We tried a palm heart gratin that was delicious, and some local sausages which our daughter ate with a level of enthusiasm she reserves for only a very small category of foods!
You can also pre order a homemade dinner delivered straight to your lodge.
Breakfast is included in the rate and delivered to your outdoor table each morning. It is a gorgeous spread of fresh fruit, warm bread, eggs, and local produce. We ate outside both mornings while happily watching the horses move around in the grounds below us.
The Farm Tour and Nature Walk
This was undoubtedly the highlight of the stay for our daughter, and honestly for us adults too. Jean-François walked us around the farm, explained the history of La Vieille Cheminée, and let our daughter get completely involved with the animals.
She fed the chickens and collected the eggs all by herself. She pulled carrots straight from the ground and fed them to the rabbits. At the end of the tour, we picked fresh herbs from the garden including mint, sage, and lemongrass, and made fresh herbal tea back at our outdoor table.
It was a beautifully unhurried, quiet kind of morning. Our daughter was so thorough and focused with the animals that Jean-François joked she was welcome back for a farm job when she was older. She has proudly mentioned this job offer several times since we got home!
The nature walk is available as an additional activity for a small fee, and I would consider it an absolute essential rather than optional if you are staying with young children. It costs very little for how much joy it brings.
Activities and Things to Do
Horseriding: This is available for an extra fee for guests who are old enough. Our daughter was three and just a bit too young to ride, so this is definitely one to keep in mind for a return trip. The horses are kept on site and visible from the lodge, which was more than enough excitement for her anyway.
The Swimming Pool: The pool is a short walk uphill from the lodges, which is worth knowing if you are carrying a toddler and a bag full of pool equipment. The pool itself is small, but the mountain views from the edge are the kind that make you stay in the water much longer than you planned. We did a quick dip after our farm tour and the cool water felt incredible after the morning sun.
Walking Trails: Free walking trails run right through the farm grounds, and the landscape around the property is incredibly beautiful to explore on foot if you have slightly older children.
Why We Loved Our Farm Stay
La Vieille Cheminée was without a doubt the place my daughter loved the most on our entire Mauritius trip. We arrived at a world famous beach holiday destination and ended up spending two incredible nights in the mountains watching horses and collecting eggs.
The staff are incredibly warm and welcoming in a way that feels completely natural. They are just lovely people who know their farm well and enjoy sharing it with guests, and that is exactly the kind of environment that leaves a lasting impression on young children. Our daughter talked about Jean-François and the chickens for weeks after we got home.
The location up in the mountains means it is noticeably cooler than the coast, which we really appreciated after several days in the intense heat of the west. Just make sure to pack a light layer for the evenings! If you are currently building a Mauritius itinerary and wondering whether to include a few nights away from the coast, this is your answer.
For our full two week itinerary including every stop we made across the island, read our 2 Weeks in Mauritius with Young Kids guide. For help choosing where to stay in other parts of the country, our Where to Stay in Mauritius with Kids guide covers the best family hotels across the whole island!
