Le Jardin du Roi, about 20 minutes south of Victoria, is an 85-acre hillside spice garden set on the site of the original royal spice plantation established by the French in the 18th century. The French brought nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, pepper, and cloves from elsewhere in the Indian Ocean to grow here; the garden still cultivates them in a setting of hills and views across the southern coast of Mahe.
A walking trail winds through the property past labelled spice plants, vanilla vines climbing their support trees, and cinnamon peeled by hand the traditional way. The restaurant and café on site serves Creole lunch using garden produce — a genuinely good meal in a panoramic setting. It is run as a private nature reserve and admission is charged. Open Tuesday to Sunday.