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Origin and history

Saint Paul's Powdery is an iconic military building on Réunion Island, a French overseas department located in the Indian Ocean. Built in the 18th century under the impetus of the East Indies Company, it was built at a strategic location between Grande Fontaine and the nature reserve of the Saint Paul pond. Its primary objective was to counter pirate raids, frequent at that time in the region. The lintel of his door, engraved in the year 1724, attests to its construction by order of Governor Antoine Desforges-Boucher, then stationed in Bourbon (former name of La Réunion).

Over the centuries, the powder magazine played a major defensive role, notably during the English attack of 1809, where French troops retreated to organize their resistance. In the 20th century, the building was converted into a storage store before being abandoned in the 1970s. Classified as a historical monument in 1994, it benefited from restoration campaigns between 2001 and 2004, led by volunteers of the Association Chantiers Histoire et Architecture Médiévales. Archaeological excavations in 2013 and 2018 enriched the knowledge of its structure, while its acquisition by the city of Saint Paul in 2010 for €40,000 allowed its preservation.

Architecturally, the powder box is distinguished by its semi-entered structure, arched in the middle of the pit and covered with a mortar of Indian origin. Originally protected by a wall of enclosure and a guard corps now gone, it illustrates the military construction techniques of the colonial era. Integrated into the Tour des Roches tourist circuit, it bears witness to La Réunion's historical and strategic heritage, combining French heritage and island issues.

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