La Balise Marina is the first and only residential marina in Mauritius. Following the success of the first phase of this development, led by ENL Property, the global launch of the second and last phase is planned in September 2013.
photos : la balise marina image bank
Brilliantly situated on the Black River estuary, La Balise Marina is the first residential development in Mauritius to offer a unique experience of tropical marina lifestyle. The project stretches over more than 30 acres of freehold land with direct access to the lagoon. The developers, including ENL Group – a leading business conglomerate in Mauritius and the majority shareholder in Rogers – allows potential buyers to choose from a range of 148 units, including 14 villas, with an average floor area of 450 square metres, 64 duplexes with between 175 and 200 square metres and 70 apartments with 2 or 3 bedrooms and a surface area of 130 to 160 square metres. Prices for these luxury residences range from Rs21 million (¤500,000) to Rs99 million (¤2.5 million).
Following a Strategic EIA for Identification of Potential Sites for Marinas, Ski-Lanes and Bathing Areas for Mauritius, commissioned in 2005 by the Mauritian government, it turned out that La Balise Marina was one of the most suitable among some 10 locations identified by the study. “The fact that the land is freehold quite naturally allowed for the development of an Integrated Resort Scheme (IRS),” says the General Manager, Dominic Dupont. IRS status allows non-residents to buy a freehold property right by the water and obtain a residence permit in Mauritius.
“Seaside developments have become commonplace in Mauritius,” he adds. “On the other hand, the country suffers from an obvious lack of infrastructure to accommodate local or foreign boats apart from existing port infrastructure, which is not adapted to everyday life.” La Balise Marina in the south-west of the island is the perfect location for marina development and is sheltered from trade winds, providing ideal conditions for water activities.
In addition to offering a marina lifestyle, this Rs4.7 billion (¤120 million) development is located within the village of Black River, so providing every opportunity to enjoy a genuinely Mauritian way of life. “Residents are not cut off from their surroundings and can participate in local daily life,” says Dominic Dupont.
Upon completion of Phase 1 of the project towards the end of last year, 44 out of the 58 luxury residences available had been sold to buyers from South Africa, Europe and Mauritius. By end June-early July 2013, all the units in Phase 1 had already been sold and 60% of them handed over to their owners. Related facilities were also fully operational.
Building on this success, La Balise Marina is moving on to its next phase. Certain units in the second and final phase have already been put up for sale and the global launch will take place in September 2013. The General Manager of La Balise Marina remains optimistic despite the current economic climate. “We have adapted Phase 2 of La Balise Marina to new ideas and trends. The exceptional uniqueness of our product and the success of Phase 1 allow us to feel confident about the success of the second phase.”
L’Estuaire
Located in the immediate vicinity of La Balise Marina, L’Estuaire is a residential development targeting Mauritian residents, with 24 apartments between 109 and 175 square metres in size and five penthouses ranging from 218 to 346 square metres. Residents will enjoy access to the high-end services of La Balise Marina, including Le Sunset, an exclusive space with a variety of luxury facilities including a reception desk, a restaurant offering a refined cuisine, a spa, a gym and a kids’ club. Le Sunset and L’Estuaire will be completed by end 2013 and end 2014 respectively.
photos : pascal jaffredou | gerard cazade
Mauritius Regatta
Some of the top names in sailing, including François Gabart, Franck-Yves Escoffier, Michel Desjoyeaux,
Romain Attanasio, Harry Spedding and Denise (Dee) Caffari took partin the first edition of the Mauritius Regatta, which was held in the waters around Mauritius between 18 and 25 May 2013. La Balise Marina was the main sponsor of this race in five legs, which was won by Frenchman François Gabart, who also recently won the 2012-2013 edition of the Vendée Globe round-the-world race.
