Champ de Mars Racecourse

The Champ de Mars in Port Louis is one of the oldest horse-racing tracks in the world, opened in 1812 within a natural amphitheatre of hills. Racing here is a national passion, drawing large, festive crowds through the winter season in a tradition dating back to the early British period. The grounds also hold significance as the place where Mauritian independence was proclaimed in 1968. Ringed by the mountains that enclose the capital, the course blends sporting spectacle with a strong sense of civic memory.