Vallée de Mai – The Primal Forest of Coco de Mer

Stepping into Vallée de Mai is stepping into prehistory. This UNESCO World Heritage Site holds the largest grove of coco de mer, the world’s most extraordinary palm. Their seeds, shaped like the curves of creation itself, weigh up to 25 kilograms—mysteries of nature revered in legend. Paths wind beneath towering fronds that arch like cathedral vaults. Sunlight filters in golden shafts; the air is humid, alive with birdsong. Black parrots flash scarlet wings through the canopy, their calls sharp and wild. Guides speak of myths: that coco de mer seeds carried erotic powers, that forests swayed with their own pulse. You pause to listen, and indeed, the forest seems alive—not just with trees, but with presence. The experience is both ecological and spiritual. You trace roots tangled across the ground, touch bark rough with centuries, breathe air heavy with spice and moisture. The forest does not demand awe; it inspires it naturally. By the end of the walk, sweat beads on your skin, but your heart feels calmed. Vallée de Mai is not simply forest—it is memory of Earth itself, intact, enduring, immense.