WRONGFUL ENSLAVEMENT: THE HEARTFELT PLEA OF FURCY

It was, unfortunately, not that uncommon for individuals of Indian and African origin to be tricked into slavery in the early 19th century Mascarenes.  There were cases of Indians embarking on ships as crew only to find themselves sold as slaves in Mauritius, while the story of Furcy, recounted below in his own letters, raised a whole series of questions about identity and slavery in France and her colonial possessions. The...

Pamplemousses Church and its Mysterious Bell

The Church of St Francis at Pamplemousses is the oldest standing edifice of the Catholic faith on the island, and dates from the 1750s. It features in a number of prints and sketches of the eighteenth century Isle of France. This sketch of the church is held in the Le Havre collection: Inside the Church of St Francis you can admire the high, beamed ceiling, and the ornate pulpit up a winding staircase with its highly...

Hidden Treasures of Mauritius

Hidden Treasures of Mauritius An Aerial View of the Landing Spot   1.The Hidden History of the Northern Coastal resorts As you enjoy a swim or a stroll along the beach, spare a thought for the soldiers who, two hundred years ago this month, landed in their thousands along this stretch of coast, carrying muskets and dressed in heavy uniforms. They had to march right across the northern part of the island over the...

History & Heritage

Capitulation of Mauritius, 1810 1810 was a year of immense significance to Mauritius and Mauritians. The ongoing Anglo-French wars had not only helped a handful of merchant-adventurers to amass huge profits; the activities of the corsairs brought in their train people of diverse origins: traders and agents from neutral nations, captured seamen, dispossessed Indian Ocean travellers, so many men and women plucked from their...

Chateau Labourdonnais

The Chateau Labourdonnais in Mapou has opened its doors to the public following nearly three years of renovation and now offers a fascinating glimpse of the world of the 19th century sugar planter. The château de Labourdonnais was built in 1858 by Christian Wiehe, an insightful man, whose numerous descendants still mostly live in Mauritius today. Soon afterwards, a tropical orchard was planted on the lands of the Domaine,...