Mahébourg

A quiet waterfront town on the southeastern coast, Mahébourg is the closest settlement to the site of the 1810 Battle of Grand Port, the only French naval victory over the British during the Napoleonic Wars, commemorated in the town's historical museum. The waterfront promenade overlooks the broad lagoon and the low-lying Ile aux Aigrettes, a coral island restored to its pre-human ecological state. The weekly market is one of the most authentic on the island, catering largely to local residents.