After nearly 40 countries, Leelou Siegel finds home in Mauritius

Can you introduce yourself and tell us about your background?

My name is Leelou Siegel, I'm 28, and I grew up in Alsace, a small region in northeastern France right on the border with Germany.

I spent five years studying digital communications, during which I had the opportunity to work with major international companies. Pretty quickly, though, I realized I wanted to build something of my own and, above all, have more freedom in how I worked. So I went freelance early on, with a clear goal: helping entrepreneurs and professionals grow their visibility and build their brand on social media.

Alongside my career, I've always had a deep connection with travel. I grew up in a family that traveled a lot, and I've been lucky enough to visit nearly forty countries. I also lived in the south of France for almost two years, then spent several months traveling the world, sometimes moving to a new country every month, all while continuing to work remotely.

For a long time, that freedom and mobility suited me perfectly. I loved being able to choose where I wanted to live, discovering new places, and not being tied down to any one location.

But gradually, my priorities shifted. I started craving stability: a real routine, a place I could call home, and a life built in a country that truly felt right for me. That's ultimately what pushed me to take the leap and leave France to settle permanently in Mauritius.

And in this new chapter, I'm definitely not alone: I'm also the proud mum of Nash, my 10-year-old dog, who made the journey with me! That was quite an adventure in itself.

Today, I find myself at the crossroads of everything that defines me: entrepreneurship, digital communications, travel, a love of discovering new cultures, and above all, the desire to build a life that truly reflects who I am and what I want.

Having grown up in a family that loves traveling and visited nearly forty countries, how has that shaped the way you live and work?

I think travel has taught me, more than anything, not to see any single way of living as the default.

Growing up in a family that traveled frequently and being exposed to nearly forty countries means that from a young age, I encountered an enormous variety of cultures, working styles, and ways of life. That inevitably changes the way you see the world.

It also gave me a strong desire to build a life that wasn't fixed in one place. And professionally, the rise of the digital economy made that desire a reality: today, my work travels with me.

When did you realize you no longer just wanted to travel, but actually wanted to settle abroad?

I think it happened gradually. For a long time, I loved the idea of going somewhere, exploring a new country, and then heading back to France.

But over the years, I realized that what I was looking for had changed. I didn't just want to travel anymore. I wanted to build my everyday life somewhere else: have a home, a routine, my own habits, grow my business, all while being in an environment that felt right.

The real turning point came when I started asking myself: "What if I didn't go back after a few weeks or a few months? What if I actually built my life somewhere else?"

Working remotely allows you to spend more than six months a year abroad. How did you manage life between traveling, running your business, and your ties to France?

Going digital made this transition so much easier. My work doesn't depend on a physical office: I can work with clients from virtually anywhere, as long as I have a good internet connection and stay organized.

Before moving to Mauritius, I was already used to spending extended periods abroad while keeping my business running.

But there's a real difference between traveling while working and actually living abroad. When you're traveling, you're constantly on the move. When you settle somewhere, you have to build a routine and manage your accommodation, your business, your admin, and your daily habits. That second stage was exactly what I wanted to experience.

You first discovered Mauritius five years ago. What drew you back?

I did indeed visit Mauritius five years ago, and back then the island was quite different from what it is today. It was less developed in certain ways, but I fell completely in love with it.

And I'd already traveled a lot by that point, seen many countries. But Mauritius had something different. From my very first stay, I remember thinking: "I know I'll come back here. I don't know when, or how, or in what capacity, but I will come back."

When it was time to leave, I cried a lot. I realized I wasn't just leaving a holiday destination: I was leaving something behind. I even went through a kind of post-trip slump for a while after returning to France. It caught me off guard, because I'd never felt anything quite that intense after a trip before.

Looking back, I think that was the moment I understood just how strong a bond I'd formed with that island. I knew that one day, in one way or another, life would bring me back to Mauritius.

And it finally did, in May 2026. I went back for a full month, and this time, something felt different. I experienced Mauritius in a new way, with more perspective, imagining everyday life there rather than a holiday.

By the end of that month, something clicked: "OK, I actually don't want to leave. I want to live here."

That trip was what turned a five-year-old wish into a real-life plan. By the time I got back to France, my mind was made up: I wanted to return to Mauritius, but this time, not for a few weeks. I wanted to settle there and build the next chapter of my life on the island.

Between deciding and moving in mid-July, everything happened very quickly. How did you prepare for the move?

That's putting it mildly: things accelerated fast!

Once the decision was made, I had to manage so many things at once: administrative procedures, finding accommodation, organizing the move, restructuring my business, sorting out personal affairs, and above all, dealing with the paperwork for my dog, not to mention all the logistics of actually leaving.

I also had to accept that I couldn't control everything. When you upend your life and move to another country in a few weeks, there's inevitably a lot of uncertainty.

I think the most important thing was not waiting until everything was perfectly in place before leaving. The key was to have the essentials sorted and then figure out the rest once I was there.

You're currently living in Mauritius on a Premium visa. Why did you choose that permit?

The Premium visa was a good fit for my situation because I could keep working remotely while living in Mauritius.

My original idea was simply to take the time to settle in, really get to know the country, and see whether I could genuinely picture a long-term life there. I already knew I eventually wanted to build something locally, but I didn't want to arrive with a fully formed business plan before I'd even experienced day-to-day life in Mauritius.

I wanted to take time to observe, meet people, understand the market, and figure out where I could genuinely add value.

But things moved much faster than expected. Within just two weeks of arriving, I had already started the process of setting up a company in Mauritius.

I discovered a real entrepreneurial energy that I responded to immediately. I also realized that I didn't just want to live in Mauritius: I wanted to build something there, invest in it, and in my own way, leave a mark.

The idea is to connect with Mauritian entrepreneurs and support them in growing their business, particularly around visibility, communications, and personal branding. I want to put my experience to work for local entrepreneurs and help them level up through digital.

In the end, the Premium visa was meant to be a first step, a way to explore and test life in Mauritius. But once I arrived, the entrepreneurial project took shape far more naturally and far more quickly than I'd anticipated.

How were your first few weeks in Mauritius?

Very, very intense!

People sometimes imagine that moving abroad simply means hopping on a plane and starting a new life in the sun. In reality, the first few weeks are mostly one enormous to-do list.

I had to find a place to live, set up all the basic services, deal with admin, discover local shops, find my routines, get everyday life organised, all while continuing to work.

And then there's the emotional side of it: you leave behind your familiar surroundings, your loved ones, your habits. It's a genuine reset, even when you're genuinely thrilled to be going.

Right now, I'm starting to move out of that "settling in" phase and into something that feels more like a real Mauritian routine.

Why did you choose to settle in the north of the island, and are you happy with that decision?

Honestly, aesthetically speaking, I have a bit of a soft spot for the south and west of the island. I find those areas much wilder, more natural, and less touched by development, and that's the kind of atmosphere I really love.

But when it came to deciding where to live, I also thought a lot about the professional side. I think a large proportion of my future clients will be based in the north, where there's a strong concentration of businesses, entrepreneurs, and economic activity.

So it was a fairly strategic choice: being close to my work and clients day to day, while still having the rest of the island within easy driving distance.

And that's actually one of the things I love about living here: on weekends, I can easily head south, east, or west, each with its own completely different atmosphere.

I didn't want to have to choose between nature and business. The north gives me that professional proximity during the week, while still letting me explore the wilder parts of the island on weekends. It's a balance that works really well for me.

What do you enjoy most about your daily life in Mauritius right now?

Probably the pace of life.

There's something really wonderful about finishing a day of work and quickly finding yourself outside, near the sea, or simply enjoying the climate and surroundings.

But beyond the scenery, it's really the feeling of having more room to actually enjoy life outside of work.

And then there are all the little everyday discoveries I'm still making: local customs, markets, products I'd never come across in France, new people. That's what makes the experience genuinely exciting.

What has been your biggest culture shock so far?

I think the first one is the relationship with time and pace.

Coming from France, you may be used to wanting everything structured, fast, and well-organized. Here, you sometimes have to learn to let go a little and accept that things take the time they take.

There are also many differences in everyday habits, in how people relate to each other, and in communication styles.

But ultimately, those differences are also what make expat life interesting. You learn to question your own habits rather than assuming your way of doing things is automatically the right one.

Why did you decide to create a new business structure in Mauritius rather than simply managing your French business remotely?

Because I didn't want to just live in Mauritius while continuing to work as if I were still in France.

My goal is also to build something here: to meet Mauritian entrepreneurs, understand their challenges, and see how my expertise can meet the needs of the local market.

That's why I'm working on a new structure to help business leaders develop their personal brand, as well as a high-end mobile video production studio.

How do you plan to adapt your services to the realities of the Mauritian market and the expectations of local businesses?

I think the first step is to listen.

I didn't want to arrive in Mauritius with a service offering designed in France and assume it can simply be transplanted as-is. The market, the businesses, the communication habits, and the challenges aren't necessarily the same.

So my goal is to go out and meet local entrepreneurs and businesses, understand their needs, and gradually adapt what I offer.

What remains universal, though, is the importance of visibility, credibility, and the ability to tell your story. And that's precisely where personal branding can make a real difference.

What are your views on Mauritius's entrepreneurial and digital ecosystem?

As I arrived quite recently, I'd rather stay humble on the subject. What I find interesting is that Mauritius has a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem, with a very diverse range of profiles.

I'm particularly keen to understand how local entrepreneurs are using digital tools to grow their businesses and build their visibility.

I'm still learning a lot, and I want to take the time to meet the people driving things here rather than drawing conclusions after only a few weeks.

For me, that's also part of what expat life means: arriving with your expertise, but being willing to be in learning mode.

What advice would you give to a young entrepreneur thinking about moving to Mauritius?

I'd tell them to prepare their project properly, but above all, not to idealize the expat experience.

Living in Mauritius is not the same as being on holiday here. There's a whole administrative, professional, and financial reality to factor in. You need to arrive with a real plan and solid preparation.

I'd also strongly recommend testing the waters before making any final decisions. And taking the time to meet people on the ground.

Finally, I think you have to be ready to start certain things from scratch. Even when you arrive with an established business, experience, and a network, you become something of a "newcomer" in your environment. And that's actually what opens the door to new opportunities.

I document everything on Instagram and TikTok, so feel free to follow the adventure: @leelou.siegel! 

For me, moving to Mauritius isn't simply a change of country. It's a completely different way of building your life and your business.