One man's island, now a national park
Moyenne
Island · A national park of its own
Moyenne in short.
Moyenne is ten hectares in the Sainte Anne park and has the best story in the country. In 1962 a newspaper editor from Yorkshire called Brendon Grimshaw bought it for eight thousand pounds. He and a Seychellois man, René Lafortune, then spent decades planting it back into existence.
Can you go?
Open. It is a national park in its own right and a standard stop on the park boat day, with a small entrance fee.
Moyenne, in 6 frames.
Every frame below was found in this island's own Commons category and its own title names the island. Captions are the file's title, so you can check the call.
Photographs, under Creative Commons: NorbertNagel, CC BY-SA 4.0 NorbertNagel, CC BY-SA 4.0 NorbertNagel, CC BY-SA 4.0 Jean-Francis Martin, CC BY-SA 3.0 Xjschx, CC BY-SA 4.0 Pom' from France, European Union, CC BY-SA 2.0 NorbertNagel, CC BY-SA 4.0
Sixteen thousand trees
The island had been abandoned since 1915. Grimshaw and Lafortune cut paths, planted about sixteen thousand trees, and brought in Aldabra giant tortoises, around fifty of which still wander the island loose. Grimshaw turned down developers repeatedly and died here in 2012.
After twenty years of asking, he got Moyenne declared a national park in its own right, separate from the marine park around it. It is one of the smallest national parks anywhere.
What there is to see
Short paths through the forest he planted, the tortoises, two old graves, a small museum and a restaurant, and a persistent story about buried pirate treasure that has never been found. It takes about an hour.
There is a board on the island listing every known owner of Moyenne from 1850 onwards, ending with Grimshaw's dates and then, from 2012, the Moyenne Island Foundation. It is the kind of thing you read twice.
How you arrive
On the Sainte Anne park boat day from Victoria or Eden Island. There is an entrance fee for the national park, paid on the island.
The sheet.
Checked 2 September 2026 against the sources named in our island file.
- Area
- 9.9 hectares
- Bought by Brendon Grimshaw
- 1962, for £8,000
- Trees planted
- about 16,000
- Giant tortoises
- around 50, roaming free
What people ask.
Can we visit Moyenne?
Open. It is a national park in its own right and a standard stop on the park boat day, with a small entrance fee.
How do you get to Moyenne?
On the Sainte Anne park boat day from Victoria or Eden Island. There is an entrance fee for the national park, paid on the island.
What we do arrange.
We do not sell islands, and most of these could not be sold to anybody. What we do arrange is everything that gets you to them and around them once you land.
Car hire, from €45 a day
Ten cars, no deposit, handed over at the airport, the jetty or your hotel.
Days out and excursions
Island tours, boat days, snorkelling and walks, with real ratings and free cancellation to twenty-four hours.
Airport transfers
A driver who watches your flight number and waits with your name on a board.
The terminal photograph above: Remi Jouan, CC BY-SA 3.0
Planning around this island?
Tell us the dates and what you want the trip to feel like, and Meera will write back with what is actually possible.