It is indeed a stereotype that has probably evolved over time with the influx of more and more expats to such an extent that Grand Baie / Pereybere / Pointe aux Canonniers area has a cosmopolitan mix of people from many different countries and not exclusively French. Likewise the Flic-en-Flac / Tamarin / Black River / La Gaulette area does not exclusively have South Africans, but maybe a slightly larger concentration of us.
One thing that remains is that that the West (and especially Southwards from Petite Rivière Noire to Case Noyale, La Gaulette and Le Morne) remain slightly quieter than the very busy Pereybere and Grand Baie.
There has undoubtedly been major development in the Tamarin area over the past few years (as also in the North) with new shopping centres, fast food outlets and residential estates and sadly the clearing of natural vegetation high up on La Tourelle mountain in Tamarin for the building of a residential estate.
If you prefer even quieter then best to go for the very South of the island (Savanne District) where you can find anything from millionaires’ mansions on private golf estates to more modest expat houses near the ocean in the Telfair, Bel Ombre, St Felix, Riambel to Souillac areas, with unspoilt beaches like La Pomponette, Gris Gris, Senneville, Riambel, St Felix - however many of them not good for swimming with currents and Southerly Wind.
What you will not (yet) find in the South is a large shopping centre (the closest being in Tamarin, or in the other direction Beau Vallon Mall or Plaisance Mall or private hospital (Tamarin).
2 more alternative areas to seriously consider are:
1) Blue Bay / Point d’Esny / Pointe Jerome area between Mahébourg and the Airport. (best snorkelling on the island and thankfully it looks like no lasting damage from the 2020 Wakashio oil spill) closest shopping mall is Beau Vallon with a well-stocked KingSavers supermarket and for South Africans, a Spur, Panarotti’s, Mugg & Bean, and ABSA ATM.
2) The North-East of the Island, either within the Azuri Estate, or preferably the beautiful seafront residences in Roches Noires and Poste La Fayette (if you have a bigger budget, even Quatre Cocos or Trou d’Eau Douce).
Shopping: 2km to Votre Pote Age groceries, Roches Noires / 13 km from Azuri to Central Flacq (Super-U, Winner’s, Dream Price, SaveMart) or 20km to Grande Baie / Pereybere (InterMart la Croisette, Super U zGrand Baie, Winner’s Pereybere, Store 2000 Pereybere, KingSavers Goodlands)
Hospitals:
15km from Azuri to Aegle Clinic in Flacq;
20km to Clinic Darné, la Croisette
25km to New Private hospital under construction in the Riviere Seche area near Shangri La - Le Touessrok