What Is La Gaulette?
La Gaulette is a small coastal village on the south-west coast of Mauritius, sitting between Le Morne and Tamarin along the B9 coastal road. It is not a resort town. There are no large hotel chains lining the beach, no organised excursion desks, and no strip of souvenir shops. What you get instead is a working fishing community, a lagoon that kite surfers treat as one of the best on the island, and a pace of life that feels genuinely local rather than performed.
For visitors who have spent time in the busier north, around Grand Baie or Pereybere, La Gaulette can feel like a different country. For residents considering the west coast, it sits within practical reach of Black River town, the Tamarin commercial strip, and the main road south toward Baie du Cap.
Getting to La Gaulette
La Gaulette is roughly 60 kilometres from Port Louis by road, following the M1 motorway south and then the coastal B9. The drive takes around 45 to 55 minutes depending on traffic through the Flic en Flac and Tamarin stretches. There is no direct express bus, but regional services connect through Black River (Rivière Noire) town, which is the nearest service hub.
If you are coming from the north, say from the area around Pereybere or Grand Baie, allow at least 90 minutes. The north coast, with its sheltered lagoons and beach bars around Pereybere in the Rivière du Rempart district, is a different world from the west. The drive between them runs through Port Louis and is best done outside morning and evening peak hours.
The Lagoon and Kite Surfing
The stretch of water in front of La Gaulette is consistently cited by kite surfers as one of the most reliable spots in Mauritius. The trade winds that funnel through the channel between the mainland and the shallow reef create steady, predictable conditions for much of the year. Several small operators offer lessons and equipment rental from the beach, and the community of riders who base themselves here between November and April gives the village a low-key international feel without overwhelming the local character.
Swimming conditions vary with the wind and the season. On calmer days the lagoon is clear and shallow enough for children. When the kite surfers are out in force, the water near the shore gets busy and families tend to move toward the quieter southern end of the beach.
Everyday Life and Local Services
La Gaulette itself is small. A handful of small shops, a bakery, a petrol station nearby, and a few restaurants and snack bars cover the basics. For anything more substantial, Black River town is the natural reference point: it has a market, pharmacies, banks, and a reasonable range of shops.
For banking, many residents across the west coast manage routine transactions through MCB Internet Banking, which allows transfers, bill payments, and account management without a trip to a branch. MCB (Mauritius Commercial Bank) has physical branches in Black River and in Flic en Flac, both accessible from La Gaulette.
Healthcare for the west coast is anchored by Candos Hospital in Quatre Bornes for public services, though Victoria Hospital in Candos (often referred to as Victoria Hospital in the context of central Mauritius) handles a significant volume of public referrals. Residents in La Gaulette with private cover typically use clinics in Tamarin or Flic en Flac for routine care and travel to Clinique Ferrière or similar private facilities for more specialist needs.
For entertainment, the nearest cinema options are in the centre of the island. Cinema Mauritius screens at the Star Cinema network, with the closest accessible locations in Flic en Flac (Star Cinema at Cascavelle Shopping Mall) and in Bagatelle. The drive from La Gaulette to Cascavelle takes around 20 to 25 minutes, making an evening film entirely practical.
Comparing the West Coast to the North
People who know Mauritius well tend to draw a clear distinction between the west coast and the north. The north, anchored by Grand Baie and the villages around it including Pereybere in the Rivière du Rempart district, is more developed, more commercial, and more connected. Hotels like Le Mauricia in Grand Baie (operated by Beachcomber under the Mauricia Beachcomber Resort and Spa name) represent the kind of full-service resort infrastructure that the north does well. Grand Baie has supermarkets, international restaurants, a busy marina, and a social scene that runs most of the year.
La Gaulette offers none of that, and for many people that is precisely the point. The trade-off is real: fewer restaurants, longer drives for specialist shopping, and a social scene that depends more on knowing people than on finding a venue. In return you get a quieter beach, lower property prices than the north, and a community that has not been reshaped entirely around tourism.
Property and Living on the West Coast
The west coast from Tamarin through to Le Morne has attracted a steady stream of expatriates and returning Mauritians over the past decade. La Gaulette sits within this corridor. Property ranges from modest local houses to newer villa developments aimed at the international market.
Non-citizens can purchase property in Mauritius through approved schemes including the Property Development Scheme (PDS) and Smart City developments. The entry threshold for residence through property is from USD 375,000. Under the Finance Act 2026 (in force from 13 August 2026), non-citizens buying under PDS, Smart City, RES or G+2 schemes pay the standard 5% registration duty as buyer and 5% land transfer tax applies to the seller. An earlier increase to 10% that had been introduced under the Finance Act 2025 was repealed. Always confirm current duties and thresholds with the Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) and the Economic Development Board (EDB) before proceeding, as these rules can change with each Budget.
Personal income tax in Mauritius is progressive: 0% on the first MUR 500,000 of annual income, 10% on MUR 500,001 to MUR 1,000,000, 20% on MUR 1,000,001 to MUR 12,000,000, and 35% above MUR 12,000,000 (applicable from the income year starting 1 July 2026). There is no capital gains tax and no inheritance or estate tax.
What La Gaulette Does Well
If you are planning a trip to the west coast and wondering whether La Gaulette warrants a stop or even a base, here is a straightforward assessment. It works well for:
- Kite surfers and windsurfers who want consistent conditions and a community of fellow riders
- Travellers who prefer self-catering and want a quieter alternative to the resort north
- Day visitors combining it with Le Morne peninsula (about 10 minutes south) and the cultural landscape around the mountain
- Residents who prioritise space, quiet, and proximity to nature over urban convenience
It is less suited to visitors who want a full-service hotel experience, a busy nightlife, or easy access to the island's main commercial centres without a car.
Getting the Most from a Visit
Arrive with provisions if you are staying more than a day or two. The small shops cover basics but stock up in Tamarin or at the Cascavelle mall if you are self-catering for a week. Rent a car rather than relying on taxis if you plan to explore: the west and south-west coast rewards independent movement, and distances that look short on a map can take longer than expected on the B9 coastal road during busy periods.
Early mornings at La Gaulette beach, before the wind picks up and the kite surfers arrive, are genuinely calm. The light is good, the fishermen are often out, and the Le Morne mountain to the south sits clear against the sky. It is not dramatic in the way that the east coast cliffs are dramatic, but it is easy to understand why people who find it tend to come back.