Mission Lodge
The ruins of a school for liberated African children on a ridge above western Mahé.
Updated 2 September 2026
On a ridge on the Sans Soucis road stand the ruins of Venn's Town, a school run by the Church Missionary Society from 1876 for children taken from slave ships intercepted in the Indian Ocean and landed in the Seychelles. It closed in 1889 and the buildings decayed. What survives is foundations and walls in a plantation of trees, with a viewing platform beside them looking west over the forest to the sea.
What you'll find
- The ruins - foundations and walls of the mission school of 1876.
- The history - a school for children taken off intercepted slave ships.
- The viewpoint - the platform looking west over forest to the coast.
- The tree plantation - the mature trees grown up around the site.
When to go
Year round; mornings are clearest for the view. Cloud builds across the ridge in the afternoon. A small fee is collected at the site.
Before you go
Little of the buildings survives and interpretation is thin for a site of this history. The viewpoint is often in cloud. Half an hour covers the whole site.
Nearby
Copolia Trail is east along the same road, and Victoria is below.
What to pack for Mission Lodge
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
- Broken-in walking shoes or boots - Grip and ankle support matter more than looks; never hike in brand-new boots. Find on Amazon
- Comfortable walking shoes - Sightseeing means kilometres of pavement and cobbles daily. Find on Amazon
- Layers + a waterproof shell - Mountain weather turns fast; a packable rain jacket saves the day. Find on Amazon
- A slim anti-theft daypack - Zips that close properly; keep it in front in crowds and on transit. Find on Amazon
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Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.