The French colonized Mauritius in 1715 to protect their ship routes to India. The settlement started in 1721. The development of the country started in 1735 with the arrival of the governor Mahé de Labourdonnais whose work is still visible today lioke the-- Construction of Port Louis as military port and shipbuilding centre / Château de Mon Plaisir in Pamplemousses / Line Barracks in Port Louis / parts of the Government House.

The French East India Company took the administration of the island till 1767. Englishmen landed in the north (Cap Malheureux) and replaced the Frenchmen in August 1810.

The French occupied the island which they renamed Isle de France between 1715 and 1810 and many place names are reminders of this period. In 1810 with the British take-over, the name reverted to Mauritius. As result of this is the immigration of Indian workers, Hindus & Muslims who now took the work on the sugar-cane fields. Who were followed by traders of their own nationalities. Mauritius comes to prosperity by the well developed sugar industry.

Mauritius gained independence from Britain on 12 March 1968 and since then has been an independent sovereign nation within the British Commonwealth.