Champ de Mars

The Champ de Mars was laid out as a racecourse in 1812 by the Mauritius Turf Club, established two years after the British took the island, and it has run meetings ever since, which makes it one of the oldest racecourses still in use in the southern hemisphere. The track sits in a natural bowl surrounded by the hills of Port Louis with the Citadel above it, and on race days from around March to November it fills with a crowd that cuts across the island's communities, betting, eating and watching from the terraces. Outside the season it is an open public space used for walking and events, and the grounds hold a statue of King Edward VII and the Malartic Tomb, an obelisk to a French governor; the flag was raised here at independence in 1968.

History

Before 1810 the ground was used for training French troops. The racecourse was inaugurated on 25 June 1812 by the Mauritius Turf Club, founded that year by Edward Alured Draper, whose aim was to bring the French settlers and the new British administration together; Governor Sir Robert Farquhar and his French-born wife, Maria Lautour, backed the races, and she gave the first gold cup (Wikipedia, Champ de Mars Racecourse).

The main sights

• The track in its bowl - the course ringed by Port Louis hills.
• Race day crowds - the terraces, bookmakers and betting stands.
• The Citadel above - Fort Adelaide looking down on the course.
• The monuments - the memorials at the course edge.

When to go

The season runs roughly March to November with meetings on Saturdays; the Maiden Cup in late summer is the biggest day. Outside race days the ground is open but empty. Arrive early on major race days for space.

Before you go

Race days are extremely crowded, hot and loud, with heavy betting and drinking. Facilities in the public enclosure are basic. Outside the season there is nothing to see but an open field. Pickpocketing is a known problem in the crowds.

Nearby

Fort Adelaide stands above; the Place d'Armes lies west.

Key facts