On the Black River road through the west coast village of Tamarin, one building stands out from the crowd. The modern black façade of Daniel Boulanger Patissier is adorned with brightly coloured signage, catching the attention of passing visitors who are inevitably enticed inside.

Master French pastry chef Daniel Daynes moved to Mauritius four years ago, but is well-versed in the business of running his own bakeries, with previous long term ventures in Madagascar and Shanghai under his belt. One year ago, he opened his latest venue in the popular Rivière Noire district of Mauritius and has already built a loyal following of locals, expats and in-the-know tourists, who flock to the store daily to stock up on exquisite French pastries and tarts, as well as freshly baked bread and coffee.

Inside, the shop is airy and bright. Colourful shelves are stacked with still-warm loaves and baguettes, and baskets of fresh croissants sit on the gleaming glass counter, beneath which are displayed a mouthwatering array of treats.

The most popular items? “Éclairs, mille feuilles and the tartes citron are quite in demand,” says Daniel, who originally baked everything himself before personally training his Mauritian staff members. “The range is fairly limited, but this is a deliberate decision as I wanted to make sure that everything we do offer is of the highest quality and made really well.”

Four large tables invite you to linger a while, or just pop by for a chocolatine or melt-in-the-mouth meringue. Best of all, try one of the deliciously rich éclairs, accompanied by a fresh cup of coffee. Petite in size, but oozing with a rich chocolate, coffee or vanilla cream, these perfectly crispy delicacies are an absolute indulgence – but you are on holiday, after all.

Daniel is open Tuesday-Friday from 7am – 6pm; 8am-6pm on Saturdays and 8am-12pm on Sundays.

Book your next Mauritius vacation with Air Mauritius Holidays, and remember to follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for all our latest news.

For tailor-made itineraries on the ground in Mauritius see SOLIS INDIAN OCEAN.