Literature of Mauritius

The French poet Bernardin de St. Pierre erected a literary monument of the island Mauritius with his novel “Paul et Virigine”

On August 17, 1744 the schooner Saint Géran sinks off shore of Mauritius. Several years later this catastrophe inspires the poet St. Pierre. In his tragic love story he narrates the story of Paul and Virginie, two adolescents of French descent, who fall in love in Mauritius. When Virginie returns from a stay in France, the schooner Saint Géran sinks and she dies, as she is too shameful to take off her crinoline, which draws her into the ocean. Paul, who is waiting for her on shore has to see all this and dies shortly after due to a broken heart.

Every child in Mauritius knows this story. In Curepipe a monument of bronze reminds of the two tragic heroes.