Curepipe Market


Curepipe is a town located in the middle of the island of Mauritius. The name allegedly comes from the French expression “curer sa pipe”, which means “to clean one’s pipe”. In the 19th century, soldiers often passed through this place to replenish their tobacco supplies. Today, approximately 70,000 people live in Curepipe. The town is situated on a plateau, so the weather is slightly cooler here than on the rest of the island.

Curepipe Market
Curepipe Market

I visited Curepipe mainly because of its markets and stalls offering street food. Curepipe is very easily accessible by tram from the towns of Quatre Bornes or Port Louis, as it is the terminus. Directly from the tram, you can see the market building, which impressed me with its architectural appearance and colorfulness.

Street food
Street food

There are a large number of stalls offering tasty Mauritian street food around the main market building. You can find things here that you won’t find, for example, in Flic en Flac, and the prices are also low. This is also because Curepipe is no longer a typical tourist destination, and you will meet only a few of them here.

Preparing paratha flatbreads
Preparing paratha flatbreads

The menu cannot miss filled paratha flatbreads – production was running like clockwork at a large stall, with each of the employees performing a specialized part of the preparation. One paratha with a rich vegetarian filling cost 20 MUR (approximately 0.40 EUR), while the second pancake in the order was only 15 MUR.

Fruits and vegetables at the market
Fruits and vegetables at the market

Similarly, fruits and vegetables are cheaper here than at the market in Port Louis or even directly in Flic en Flac. For example, you can buy this fresh lychee for 75 MUR (approximately 1.40 EUR) per half a kilogram, while in Port Louis you would pay twice as much.

Jan Palach in Curepipe
Jan Palach in Curepipe

A visit to the town of Curepipe can also be interesting because of the Czech trace that is present there. The tram and bus terminal is named after Jan Palach. When I asked about it at the refreshment stand, I was very surprised that they found a sign to show me, and they even said a few words about Jan Palach. For me, it was an unexpected experience.

If you want to take an unconventional trip, definitely visit Curepipe. You can buy a ticket directly at the stop from the machine, it is possible to pay by card, and the texts are also in English. The trams are air-conditioned, run frequently, and are brand new. The track to Curepipe was completed only at the end of 2022. You can easily board the tram in the city centers of Quatre Bornes or Port Louis.

Curepipe is definitely worth a visit!

More information can be obtained by clicking on the map link: