The Republic of Mauritius Project Plan - RarePlanet

Ile de la Passe
Area: 2.19 Hectares
Present Status: National Heritage Site
Institution Responsible: Ministry of Art & Culture
Description: Ile de la Passe is a small but very historic island off the South-East coast of Mauritius. From the islet all maritime movements into
the Bay of Mahébourg, which is the largest bay of the island and contains the oldest port, can be controlled. The French and British inhabitants
of Mauritius built defenses on Ile de la Passe, and ruins of these defenses dating back two and a half centuries are still intact. The ports of
Mauritius were the preferred stopping-over sites to and from the East for mariners of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries in the western Indian
Ocean and it was acknowledged that whoever controlled Mauritius was favoured to control the Region. The main port on the island, until the
mid-18th century was Port Sud-Est in the Mahébourg bay. The strategic position of Ile de la Passe made it, therefore, the key not only to the
island of Mauritius, but to the Indian Ocean.
Biodiversity Value:
Native flora present: Scattered clumps of Veloutier Vert (Scaevola tacada) ,Veloutier Argentée (Tournefortia argentea), Bois matelot (Suriana
maritima) and planted Pandanus on almost bare soil.
Native fauna present: wedged tailed shearwaters and Bouton’s skink (Cryptoblepharus boutonii)
Observation:
The building
the thick double wall (thicker on the unprotected side) of the powder magazine
the juxtaposition of 18th, 19th and 20th century works, especially visible in concrete/steel additions
the aeration system of the magazine and its wonderful arches
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