Blocks of pink granite, polished over millions of years, emerge from a sea that runs through every shade of blue. This is the signature of Praslin, the second island of the Seychelles, which ships approach via Baie Sainte-Anne, on the southeast coast. Ships anchor offshore; tenders drop passengers at the town jetty in fifteen to twenty minutes, amid the comings and goings of the La Digue ferries.

Vallée de Mai, a forest from another age

Ten minutes by road from the jetty lies the island's main attraction: the Vallée de Mai, a UNESCO World Heritage reserve. Beneath a canopy of giant fronds grows the famous coco de mer, an endemic palm whose nut, the heaviest in the plant kingdom, has a shape that has fuelled three centuries of sailors' legends. The shaded trails can be explored in one to two hours; with a little patience, you may spot the Seychelles black parrot, one of the rarest birds on the planet, most of whose world population lives on Praslin. The coolness of the undergrowth, the creaking of the fronds and the green half-light create the atmosphere of a primeval forest.

Anse Lazio, the reward

On the other side of the island, about thirty minutes by road, Anse Lazio regularly ranks among the most beautiful stretches of sand in the world, and its reputation survives arrival: a perfect curve, granite rocks at either end and takamaka trees leaning over crystal-clear water. Swimming here is a simple joy; a mask and snorkel reveal parrotfish and silvery schools along the boulders. One or two beachfront restaurants let you have lunch at a leisurely pace. Since the spot is popular, late morning often offers a little more space than early afternoon.

Côte d'Or and the neighbouring islands

Another beach option, Anse Volbert — known as Côte d'Or — stretches its sand along the northeast coast, with shops, cafés and water sports within walking distance. Offshore, Curieuse Island, a former leper colony turned national park, can be reached on an excursion: you walk among free-roaming Aldabra giant tortoises, between mangroves and russet hills. Outings often combine Curieuse with a fish barbecue on the shore, a formula well suited to the schedule of a day in port.

The Seychellois rhythm

Praslin is discovered unhurriedly. Public buses circle the island at their own pace, honking on hairpin bends; taxis, available at the jetty, agree on the fare before setting off. In the villages, shops sell vanilla, cinnamon and local rums; stalls offer mangoes, papayas and bananas depending on the season. Everywhere, Seychellois Creole sings between French and English, the legacy of a history in which pirates, colonists and fishermen followed one another on these shores. At dusk, fruit bats — large fruit-eating bats — leave their roosting trees and glide over the bays, a daily spectacle that never fails to amaze newcomers.

For a well-balanced day

1. Morning: Vallée de Mai at opening time, when light filters through the fronds and the trails are quiet.
2. Noon: head to Anse Lazio for a swim and a meal with your feet in the sand.
3. Afternoon: return via Côte d'Or or stop for photos at the lookouts on the cross-island road, before the last tender.

As the island fades behind the wake, one image remains, almost always the same: pink granite under the setting sun, and the feeling of having walked through a garden older than humankind. The Seychelles count a hundred and fifteen islands; Praslin holds the key to the garden.