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Heritage classified

Origin and history

The Piton fireplace is an iconic industrial vestige of Réunion Island, a French overseas department located in the Indian Ocean. It belonged to an old sugar factory, a symbol of the local economy historically oriented towards the cultivation of sugar cane. Its addition to the Supplementary Inventory of Historic Monuments, dated May 2, 2002, also includes its plated grounds, highlighting its heritage importance.

Saint Paul, where this monument is located, was a high place of sugar production in La Réunion. The factories like the one associated with this chimney played a central role in the economic and social organization of the island, marking the landscape and life of the inhabitants. Today, this type of structure recalls the industrial heritage of sugar cane, a major activity since the 18th century.

The chimney is located precisely at 7 Chemin Piton Default, on a land cadastralized under the reference AC 3. Although owned by a private company, its status as a Historic Monument makes it a protected part of the Réunion heritage. The available data, from sources such as Mérimée or Monumentum, confirm its architectural and historical interest, without providing details on its current accessibility to the public.

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