Pointe aux Caves Lighthouse – also known as Albion Lighthouse, is situated in Albion, a village located on the west coast of Mauritius and is famous for being the unique lighthouse of the country situated on the cliffs and caves of Pointe aux Caves.
It was inaugurated in 1910 to help incoming boats and still serves as a precious guide to actual ships with its imposing height of 30 meters.
History
The Albion lighthouse was built and inaugurated under the government of Sir Charles Cavendish Boyle.
Boyle was born in Bridgetown, Barbados in 1849, and received his education at the Charterhouse School in London. He worked as Colonial Secretary in Bermuda in the late 19th century and he was also the magistrate for the Leeward Islands in Dominica for some time.
In the early 20th century, boyle was appointed Governor of Newfoundland, and his passion for the local population and its challenges made him a very popular governor.
After only a few years he was promoted Governor of Mauritius, moved and settled in Mauritius and remained on the island until his retirement.
The Albion lighthouse was built in 1910, shortly before Governor Boyle retired, and the architecture was unique for the island.
More than one hundred years later, the structure is still intact, and the interior is largely composed of the original design and building material.
The climb to the top is a daunting one, and you can feel the stairs creak as you get higher up in the tower. The tower itself is seldom open to the public, but it seems to depend on who you ask. The Mauritian Port Authority is responsible for the maintenance of all lighthouses in Mauritius.
To get to the lighthouse, simply head for Albion. Coming from Flic en Flac, just drive through Bambous and turn left at Canot. The lighthouse is signposted from the village of Albion.
Coming from Port Louis, head towards Albion at Petit Riviere and drive through the old village of Albion until you reach the church on your left. Head for south Albion and Albion Beach, and the lighthouse is signposted from there.