Euréka - the museum

built in :1830 by Mr. Carr, a british notable

Found at :Moka

The créole house Euréka, at Moka, in the centre on the island, is one of the best preserved period residences still in good condition. Its ancient architecture is of a rare beauty, but it is interesting for more than one reason. The museum harbours real treasures, such as antique furniture, old photographs. In addition, the magnificent garden and waterfalls around the house contribute to the beauty of the place.

You can also shop for souvenirs for relatives and friends. Euréka hopes that you enjoy the visit of the museum as well as the property.

Today, Euréka reflects the past of Mauritius through the prism of an old aristocratic family. The house has a collection of: antique furniture, old photographs , chinaware, old books, rugs, etc ..

Euréka is also known for its fine food: under a porch which opens onto a magnificent garden, one can taste delicious local dishes.

Discover the Mauritian colonial life style in the past century: All the rooms evoke a feeling of the old days, magnificent furniture with intricate carvings in ebony, mahogany and 'pallissandre'.

Admiring photographs of the old days, faded by time is a fascinating experience. It is a way to capture the past of the island... lithographs evoking the story of Paul and Virginie (from the famous book of Bernadin de St-Pierre which relates the life of two french families)

The history of the house is also very interesting, specially when narrated by the owner himself, Jacques Planteau de Maroussem, who relates with an exquisite charm the various events from different periods of the property: the change of ownership and their problems.

The house was built by Mr. Carr, a british notable who wanted to be nearer to 'Le Réduit' where the governor lived. We hence learn that a certain Reculé sold the property "of spices and sugar canes" to Mr. Montmirail who left the french revolution in 1793. In 1812, Mr. et Mrs. Robinson bought the property and later sold it to Mr. Eugène Leclézio in 1856, father of Sir Eugène Leclézio, chief justice and Sir Henry Leclézio, attorney and member of the Legislative Assembly.

The old, English colonial-style mansion, also known as the 'house of the 109 doors' is a long, low building dating back to the nineteenth century, which nestles at the foot of a sheltering hill. A verandah runs all the way around the house, which is constructed in timber and painted white. Its gleaming polished floors and its row of shuttered attic windows serve to highlight the french style of the house.

For more details on the other pieces of furniture, click on the house plan. This page allows you to visit the house and gives you access to larger images of some of the furniture.

"Time seems to stop here. Behind the thick wooden windows which filter the light, the dining room, the music room, Eugène study room where chinaware from 'la compagnie des Indes' ornate the walls evoke a glorious past.."

... we can spend hours admiring the fabulous pieces of art, but there are also the lithographs and the architecture of the house...

At the rear of the house which is still sometimes called 'grand case', name given by the slaves and the servants, are found the pavillons, modest brick houses, a sheltered garden and an old kitchen with its wooden stoves..

"This house makes us go crazy." explains Jacques de Maroussem, the owner of the property, married to the grand daughter of Leclézio: "We struggle to protect this house against cyclones and strong winds...

"This house is the most important belonging of my family, and now it is destined to be parcelled and sold out in small plots." writes Jean Marie Le Clézio in his novel 'Voyage à Rodrigues'. Jacques de Marroussem adds that in 1985, a real estate agent wanted to pull down the house in order to parcel out the land. However a miracle happenned! The project was abandonned and we bought back Eurêka.

The museum is not only made of antique furniture.There is also the old bathroom, the bath tub carved in one piece of marble which is unique in Mauritius, the chairs in ebony wood and the finely hand painted chinaware, the canopy bed and the baby craddle.