Visit The Most Characterful Town On The Island, Mahébourg, And Its National History Museum

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Travel to the small, sleepy coastal city of Mahébourg on the south eastern coast of Mauritius to see one the oldest National History museums in all of Southern Africa. The quaint city of Mahébourg is the capital of the Grand Port District. The well executed streets in the older part of Mahébourg still bear a strong resemblance to its Dutch and French colonial past. Mahébourg declined into a sleepy coastal city after the French chose Port Louis Mauritius’ main port.

The past is still perfectly preserved today in the Historical Naval Museum which also gives an account of the past epic naval battles between the French Navy and the Royal Navy. The historical Dutch museum in Grand Port illustrates the early Dutch settlement of Mahébourg . The National History Museum, situated in Mahébourg, in a stunning park measured around 12 acres, on the bank of River La Chaux. It is located in Chateau Gheude a historic French colonial country house currently listed as a national heritage. The National History Museum finds originated in the Museum of Historical Souvenirs and the Naval Relics Museum. The museum now exhibits the objects (mortars, canons, part of hulk, bottles) that were retrieved in 1933-34 from the shipwreck La Magicienne.

These days Mahébourg is a lively centre of local trade. The newly established waterfront complex promises unforgettable walks along the exotic sea-side. There are also an increasing number of small inns situated in the city itself and the surrounding areas which cater for local and foreign visitors.