Union Vale and the Mon Trésor Mon Desert Sugar Estate
Union Vale was initially known as “Mare du Tabac” and is part of the Mon Trésor Mon Desert Sugar Estate. Its former name and connection to the estate give the local history a specific focus. Those seeking cultural history when choosing a destination will find a clear link here to a named estate and its visible remains.
Factory Ruins and Building Materials
Visible remains of the estate include the ruins of a sugar factory, garages and a canal. A partly damaged stone building next to the chimney belonged to the sugar factory and is now used as a storage space. The factory ruins and stone building thus represent the history of the sugar factory; the garages and canal are other parts of the estate. The stone building is also distinguished by its location next to the chimney and its current use. This makes it possible to distinguish between different architectural traces of the estate.
The barracks ruins also offer a different perspective on the estate. A 2009 photograph shows basalt and argamasse, a special lime mixture, in the masonry. This brings specific building materials into focus alongside the function of individual buildings. The sugar factory is understood in terms of its former use, while the barracks ruins are considered through the materials used in their masonry. These are two distinct approaches to cultural history: economic and architectural history, each illustrated by a specific feature.
Historical Perspectives in the Wider Destination of Grand Port
In the wider destination of Grand Port, the National History Museum is located in Mahébourg, in a park of approximately 12 acres on the banks of the River La Chaux. The museum displays numerous objects relating to corsairs and the Battle of Grand Port. Most of the exhibits come from the wrecks of La Magicienne and HMS Sirius, two British frigates that sank in Mahébourg Bay in 1810. The collection thus brings together several historical themes, with most of the exhibits having a specifically identified maritime origin.
Vieux Grand Port offers another historical perspective in Grand Port. The historic site includes the ruins of the first Catholic church, built by Mahé de Labourdonnais in 1737, and a powder house dating from the French period, from 1722 to 1810. The Frederik Hendrik Museum serves as an interpretation centre for the site. Grand Port therefore encompasses both collection items with a maritime focus and historic buildings, as well as interpretation of a historic site.
The difference in focus can help you choose a location: Union Vale represents the Mon Trésor Mon Desert Sugar Estate, with its sugar factory and other architectural remains; Grand Port adds a maritime collection in Mahébourg and the historic site of Vieux Grand Port.
Discover more destinations: Blue Bay, Plaine Magnien, Maheboug, Pointe D'esny, Mare D Albert, Le Bouchon
Return to the wider travel overview: Grand Port.
