Mauritius - Around The Town

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THE CITADEL Viewed from the Citadel hill, the layout of the city is uncomplicated: rectangular street blocks as far as the eye can see. A French post existed here in the 18th century but the fort was begun in 1834 and named after Queen Adelaide, wife of William IV. It was built by the British who were worried that the French settlers would revolt against the abolition of slavery, as they had in 1832. Its solid, volcanic stone walls and two-tiered rooms, built around a central barrack square, are a formidable, albeit depressing sight. It was completed in 1840 and was garrisoned by a detachment of over 200 Royal Irish Fusiliers. Slavery was abolished in 1835 without too much ado so, even before it was completed in 1840, the Citadel’s raison d’être had faded. Fear of war with France led to it being further fortified but it never saw the action for which it had been prepared. It was abandoned for over a century but has been brought back to life in recent years with a major renovation. It now houses shops aimed at tourists and is a great viewpoint from which to see the city. The Champ de Mars racecourse is clearly visible and on race days you will find crowds of Mauritians watching the action from the Citadel. The large green shed you can see by the harbour stores the island’s sugar before it is transferred to ships for export.

The waterfront The motorway cuts through Port Louis, straight along the waterfront, linking the south of the island with the north. It is invariably slow going with a rush hour that seems to last half of the morning and most of the afternoon.

The opulent Caudan Waterfront (caudan.com) by the harbour is quite a contrast to the older parts of the city. This modern complex includes apartments, offices, a cinema, bank, museum, casino, craft market, shops and restaurants. Amidst all this modernity, an 18th-century windmill has been left intact, near the Astrolabe Centre. For families there is a mini train and a play area for children aged 4–15. A marina, Bassin des Chaloupes, provides boat moorings with easy access to the city.

At the northern end of Port Louis’s waterfront, beyond the postal museum and the granary car park, is Aapravasi Ghat. This immigration depot was built in 1849 to process labourers as they arrived (see What to see in Port Louis, pages 111–12).

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