Vieux Grand Port

The Dutch landed in this bay in 1598 and named the island after Maurice of Nassau, and their attempts at settlement from 1638 were based here at what became Vieux Grand Port, the oldest occupied site in Mauritius. They abandoned the island in 1710 and the French took over in 1721, building a fort and a small town on the same ground before moving the capital to Port Louis. Excavations have uncovered foundations of the Dutch fort and the later French structures, and a site museum, the Frederik Hendrik Museum, displays finds from both periods along with material on the arrival of the first settlers, the introduction of sugar cane and the extinction of the dodo. The setting under Lion Mountain is quiet.

What you actually see

• The Dutch foundations - the excavated remains of the earliest fort.
• French structures - the later foundations built on the same site.
• The Frederik Hendrik Museum - the finds and the settlement story.
• The bay setting - Grand Port under Lion Mountain.

When to go

May to December for the weather. The museum keeps weekday hours with limited weekend opening, so check before travelling. Mornings are cooler for walking the site.

Honest expectations

Everything is at foundation level and takes reading to make sense of. The museum is small and dated. Signage on the site is limited. It is a short stop rather than a half-day.

Nearby

Lion Mountain rises behind; Mahebourg lies south.