Mauritius August - Belle Mare

[simokite]

Hi guys,
winter is coming in Italy therefore thoughts are flying to next summer trip...
After several times in Brazil, I know, it's really hard to find out something comparable...anyway ,some friends talked to me about Mauritius.

I'm not interested in staying in Le Morne, because I'm not keen on wave riding, and I 've heard that lagoon is plenty of beginners and full of killer chop.

What about Belle Mare?Someone spent august holiday there?
Is the wind reliable there? How many knots?

Anykind of info related to Belle Mare is more than welcomed
Ciao Ciao
Simone

[Eduardo]

You should double check the Le Morne flat water spot. Once you get up wind of the lessons and the show offs, there is plenty of room & very flat water. The only 'killer chop' is much farther out and in the channel and only in more on-shore days. Watch this video 2:56-4:00. That is flat! I don't know Belle Mare but the only downside I have heard is that it is more gusty than Le Morne.

[SolarSet]

Just came back from Le Morne, I was there at the end of September and ridden TT. Never been in Brazil so can't compare but first thing first, in high tide in lagoon where beginners learn it can be choppy but wouldn't call it killer chop. All depends on the tide. With low tide water gets very flat.
With regards to "plenty beginners" thats not problem at all as lagoon is huge and its easy to edge upwind from all the crowd which always seems to gather close to beach and you can avoid crowd unless you crave beach goers attention.
You can see from vid above how huge lagoon is and it usually direct on shore wind. On 14 days trip we have 11 days of +20kts wind. I was riding 10m for most part and tried my Soul 15m at the beginning (around 10am) when wind was picking up but was hugely overpower very quickly as by noon wind was full on. Only one day was for larger kite >12m

From what I was told only Le Morne gets thermal wind hence it's more windy than any other spot although it seems like north east part should be most windy.
I chose this place due to our young daughter 15months old at the time and we both wanted to visit that Island but I think unless you want to ride waves it's only worth it to go there once. Very few intermediate riders in lagoon on TT.
We stayed at riu creole which is located just where you kite and we had like 20m from our room to lunching/landing spot.

Something to bear in mind we met couples with young children (1-3 years old) and it was very tricky for both people to get enough ridding in day as wind was blowing reliably from 11am to 4pm and for to people switching it isn't much time. Unless your second half doesn't ride or you can already leave your children at hotel kindergarten (>4years) you may bot get enough ridding.

Done my first backrolls while there hence always this place will be magical to me only regret that didn't try them earlier

[simokite]

Thanks a lot guys.. Anyone else with experience from Belle Mare?

[SonnyRider]

I've been to Belle Mare area twice, a few years ago, both times in September.

I kited mostly in the lagoon in front of the hotel "La palmeraie Boutique", there is a sandy area to the south of that hotel. I see on google maps theres a little shack selling fruit. So I suspect it's busy with tourists there. TBH, most people stay in the hotel areas, so the beaches only have a few people walking along them.

Nowhere near as busy as Le Morne, the lagoons at Belle Mare are nice, a little choppy, but not much, kite launch spots are tight due to trees.
The first year we had 14 days holiday and two days of wind. The second year 14 days holiday and 12 days of wind.
Wind starts light in the morning building during the day, dropping off in the evenings.

I used 8m, 10m, and Zephyr, my partner used a 6m, 8m, 10m and Zephyr. So take as many different sizes as you can.

Lovely spot, lovely people.

[Eduardo]

The first year we had 14 days holiday and two days of wind. The second year 14 days holiday and 12 days of wind.
Wind starts light in the morning building during the day, dropping off in the evenings.

very true - if you just want wind and flat water, there are many places that are more consistent. the only reason to deal with Mauritius' wind statistics is if you want waves.