Port Louis, a historic link between Mauritians and the rest of the world

A cosmopolitan capital, Port Louis was founded in 1735 by the French governor Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais. As soon as you wake up, the city is buzzing on every street corner, lining up its small modern towers facing the harbour. It presents itself as a financial and administrative city in a beautiful tropical setting. Everything is mixed up in the capital: buildings stand alongside old Creole houses, spice stalls compete with the big, beautiful shop windows on the seafront.

Port Louis can be visited by strolling through its alleys, passing by the Place d'Armes with its statues steeped in history, and finishing with its historic buildings. A good half-day is all you need to get the most out of the capital.

Port Louis may not be the most exciting capital in the world, but it has its charm. The city centre was built around Place d'Armes, a large esplanade lined with royal palms. The main statue in the square is that of Mahé de la Bourdonnais, former governor of the island. At the far end of the square stands the Hôtel du Gouvernement. It is the oldest building in the capital and looks like a grey-painted colonial house. Built between 1729 and 1735, it is now the seat of parliament but cannot be visited. Note, however, that the statue of Queen Victoria dominates the entrance.

Then there's the municipal theatre, easily recognisable with its beautiful pale yellow façade and volcanic stone columns, built in 1822 by the British. As early as 1909, the first black and white films were shown. In 1930, a number of operas were also performed.

Two museums can be found not far from the Place d'Armes, one of which is the Musée de la Photographie, a collection of old photographs of the island. The museum is worth a visit just to rummage through its boxes to find photos dating back to the era of sugar, slavery and the railway. The other museum is the Mikado Shell Museum. In one room, several types of shell are on display: pearly, spotted, striated, serrated, horned, conical... There are more than 300 shells of all shapes and colours, some of which have not yet been identified.

Finally, a visit to the Natural History Museum & Mauritius Institute reveals the skeleton of the famous dodo, the one and only remnant of this bird on the island, exterminated by the Dutch colonists. The museum displays a series of stuffed animals as well as several temporary exhibitions.

On the east side of Port Louis, there are two cathedrals: the Anglican Saint James and the Saint Louis. The latter has had to cope with a number of events, including cyclones that demolished it. A cross in front of the church is in memory of the black slaves who were not allowed to enter the cathedral and who received absolution. The citadel of Fort Adelaide was built between 1834 and 1840 by the British. The fort cannot be visited, but it is possible to enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of the capital at sunset.

If you only have one museum to visit in the city, choose the Penny Blue Museum. It boasts a large collection of stamps, as well as high-quality exhibitions, and one section focuses on the story of the sinking of the Saint Géran.

The Aapravasi Ghat faces the fishing port and is the reception centre for former immigrants. Nearly 80% of Mauritian ancestors passed through this building. The centre is now a place of remembrance, where you can find original employment contracts, reconstructed typical plantation accommodation and a ship's hold.

Change of scenery with the Caudan Waterfront and its Disneyland feel. Named after a famous local figure, Jean Dominque Michel de Caudan, this area is packed with shops, a craft market and hotels. It is a popular shopping and dining area for locals and tourists alike.