Bel Ombre loses most popular landmark |14 June 2011

It spells the loss of one of the district’s most popular landmarks, the restaurant with its architecture having been there for 42 years.

The blaze started at the house of Ms Rose-Mary Kingsmith, across the road, some 50 metres away, completely gutting it, before spreading to the thatch-covered restaurant near the seafront.

Ms Sharon Fannytamai, wife of one of the Italian owners told Nation that it was just past 10pm Saturday when they heard of the fire in a house across the road. Within minutes, sparks were flying high, landing on Le Corsaire’s thatch roof, which in turn caught fire.

Ms Fannytamia said there were nine clients dining at the time and they had to be quickly evacuated.

Le Corsaire, which boasts a type of architecture consisting of wooden supports criss-crossing the concrete walls, which is common in Alsace, north-east France, served mainly Italian and Seychellois cuisine and had seating capacity for 55.

Many French visitors originating from that part of France loved to be photographed next to Le Corsaire, a reminder of their mountain province – right in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

It was purchased by the new owners from the state owned company Cosproh (Compagnie Seychelloise pour la Promotion Hotelière) 15 years ago, as government divested itself of tourism businesses, selling to the private sector.

Le Corsaire was covered by insurance. Unfortunately, Ms Kingsmith’s house, where she had lived with her mother, was not insured.