Seychelles

It is from the sky, as the small plane begins its descent, that we first glimpse its beauty. The ocean unveils, one by one, the 115 coralline and granitic islands that make up the Seychelles archipelago, the last vestiges of Gondwana, the supercontinent. This nature haven - green topographies, tropical forests, sacred beaches, rare fauna and flora - lends itself perfectly to an upscale tourism (but not only). Travellers come from afar to plunge into one of the infinity pools of the exquisite hotels nestled in the luxuriant vegetation or lie in the shade of a coconut tree on a deserted beach - ones that constantly make it to the top of the list of the world’s gorgeous beaches. Beyond the inescapable clichés, this slice of savage enticing earth is unaffected by the passage of time. The Seychellois people, a proud people, are attached to this earthly paradise, which they continue to preserve. Here, there are no walls that separate your garden from your neighbour’s… No fast-foods or chains either. Freshly caught fish - namely the Bourgeois - is sold on wooden stalls on the beach and provides nourishment for all. For some time now, a local, affordable tourism has emerged in the form of small guesthouses where one can live “chez l’habitant,” in someone’s home. From the beach, you can see - afar - other islands - some with traditional dwellings, others, privately owned. Some even serve as sanctuaries for rare birds and giant Aldabra tortoises. The hilly landscape is brimming with native species like the famous coco fesse - the coco de mer. These islands are named Cousin, Cousine, Curieuse, Silhouette, Petite Soeur, Grande Soeur… And so the Seychelles continue to exist - immutable - outside of Time, between here and thereafter.