Travel Guide Vieux Grand Port

Although very important in the history of Mauritius, the hamlet is not touristy. Only a column erected on the seashore commemorates the landing of the Dutch on the island on September 17, 1598. At the exit of the village, the remains of a French fort dating from the middle of the 18th century still remain. According to a team of archaeologists, this defensive building was built on a former Dutch site. Vieux Grand Port was also the site of the great naval battle between the French and the English that took place from August 23 to 28, 1810 and ended in a victory for the French fleet, the only one won under Napoleon. A few kilometers away, the site of the Falaise Rouge restaurant offers a masterful view of the bay where the battle took place. Along the main road, signs indicate the existence of the Vallée de Ferney. It is a sanctuary of Mauritian biodiversity where it is possible to discover rare plants and trees, and several endemic bird species.