Cap Malheureux

Cap Malheureux or “Cape of Misfortune” so named for all the ships that floundered on the rocks here, is at the Northern tip of the Island of Mauritius. It is also home to the dramatic cliffs of the Coin de Mire and affords the observer fantastic views.

This spot is of great historical importance for Mauritius: it was here that the British invasion force finally defeated the French in 1810 and took over the island. A little further on lies the minuscule fishing village also known as Cap Malheureux, with its much-photographed church, the red-roofed Notre Dame Auxiliatrice.

It’s worth a quick peek inside for its intricate woodwork and a holy-water basin fashioned out of a giant clamshell. A sign strictly prohibits newly-weds ‘faking’ a church wedding for the photographers!