Construction of plant 1865 (≈ 1865)
Founded by Joseph Lelièvre in Saint-Paul.
1917
End of sugar production
End of sugar production 1917 (≈ 1917)
Reconversion to rum, tapioca, strings.
27 juin 2002
First partial registration
First partial registration 27 juin 2002 (≈ 2002)
Fireplaces and land classified historical monuments.
11 mai 2021
Extension of protection
Extension of protection 11 mai 2021 (≈ 2021)
Perimeter extended to the factory, canal and tracks.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The Bruniquel plant, the portion of the canal and the paved roads located at Bruniquel, and the ground of Parcel No. 438, 749, 799, 835, 838, shown in section EV cadastre, as shown in red on the plan annexed to the order: inscription by order of 11 May 2021
Key figures
Joseph Lelièvre - Founder of the factory
Builder in 1865 at Saint Paul.
M. Bruniquel - Subsequent owner
Buyer after Joseph Lelièvre.
Famille Villèle - Latest known owners
Owner after Mr. Bruniquel.
Origin and history
The Bruniquel factory is a former sugar factory built in 1865 in Saint Paul, on the island of La Réunion, in the southwest of the Indian Ocean. It is located on the heights of the northwest coast, about one kilometer from the shore, at the place called L-Ermitage. Founded by Joseph Lelièvre, it is then sold to Mr Bruniquel and then to the Villèle family, marking its anchor in local economic history.
The sugar industry ceased in 1917, and the factory converted to the production of rum, tapioca and choka ropes. Today, only a basalt fireplace and a few walls remain. Its chimneys, known as the fireplaces of L-Ermitage, as well as their plated grounds, are listed as historical monuments by order of 27 June 2002. This perimeter was expanded in 2021 to include all remains, a portion of the Bruniquel Canal and adjacent paved roads.
The site illustrates the industrial evolution of Réunion, linked to the cultivation of sugar cane. The Bruniquel Canal, which fed the factory, and the paved roads leading to the site are an integral part of this heritage. The remaining, emblematic chimney recalls the island's golden sugar age and its adaptation to economic changes. The remains, though partial, offer a material testimony of that time.
Ranked among the historical monuments of Saint Paul, the Bruniquel factory is today a place of memory. Its inscription in 2021 enshrines its heritage importance, also covering associated hydraulic and road elements. The site, although partially in ruins, remains a symbol of the industrial heritage of Réunion and its agricultural heritage.
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