Aerial view of Albion Pointe aux Caves lighthouse & cliffs
Photography by lafaz
Albion Lighthouse from Caves
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Drone photography of lighthouse at Pointe aux Caves.
Pointe aux Caves Lighthouse
The Pointe aux Caves Lighthouse is located a few miles southwest of the Mauritian capital, Port Louis, on the cliffs of Pointe aux Caves in the village of Albion, between Pointe aux Sables and Petite Rivière.
Albion lighthouse, a century of history
A site steeped in history, Pointe aux Caves faces an ocean protected by its reefs, rocks and rugged cliffs, hit by waves and a tumultuous sea. Many shipwrecks took place off Albion. Among them, that of the flagship Banda in 1615 where Peter Both died. During the period of slavery, the caves nestled at the foot of the cliffs were also used as hiding places for slaves. To mitigate the danger of navigation to the harbor of Port Louis, the English Governor Sir C. Boyle built the lighthouse of Pointe aux Caves which was inaugurated in October 1910. The Tower and the Dome are 30 m high (with a total focal length of 46 m).
For a century, the lighthouse has protected navigators by emitting two light signals: a fixed red light and a double flash every 15 seconds, with a luminous range of about 54 km (29 nautical miles). During the British period, 4 lighthouses were built in Mauritius: Pointe aux Canonniers Lighthouse (Pointe au Canonniers North West), Pointe des Caves Lighthouse (Albion West Coast), Ile Plate Lighthouse (Ile Plate North of Mauritius), Ile aux Phare Lighthouse (Mahébourg Bay South East). To date, only the Albion and Ile Plate Lighthouses are still in operation. The Flat Island Lighthouse has been fully automated while the Albion Lighthouse is still protected by the benevolence of its Keeper Mr. Premanund Moheeput whom everyone calls Mr. Paul. His predecessor Mr. Arrif Achia shares with Paul his passion for the lighthouse after having been its Keeper for 33 years.
The Pointe aux Caves Lighthouse is better known today as the Albion Lighthouse.
Visit of the Albion Lighthouse
Leaving Port Louis towards the South West, taking the A3 in the direction of Bambous, you will find the fork on the left at the Village of Petite Rivière towards Camp Creole. From there a signpost directs you to the lighthouse.
The rocky coastline is magnificent offering an amazing contrast of brown, tan and turquoise colors between the cliffs and the ocean. An amazing view of the west coast of Mauritius. Classified as a national heritage site, the Albion Lighthouse can be visited and reveals the passages of history between its furniture and equipment of the period, oil lamps and new technologies. The lighthouse is equipped with the famous Fresnel Lens, invented in the early 19th century by Augustin Fresnel.
Once you reach the Dome, dominating the sea by 40 meters, an exceptional panorama as far as the eye can see will be your best reward. On a clear day, you can see the Coin de Mire in the distance.
The lighthouse of Albion however remains the most photographed among the lighthouses of Mauritius.
