Habitation Saint-Etienne

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Origin and history

The habitation Saint-Étienne, located in Gros Morne, Martinique, was founded in the early 19th century as Habitation La Maugée, a sugar plantation. It was only in 1882, after being bought by Beké Amédée Aubéry, that she took her present name and became an agricultural rum distillery in the 1890s. Developed by André Simonnet and his heirs, it became one of the largest rum production units on the island in the 20th century, with an annual capacity of 800,000 to 1.5 million litres.

The distillery closed in 1988, but its industrial heritage was preserved: the column to be distilled in 20th century copper, the aqueduct and the original buildings (excluding recent additions) have been listed in the Historical Monuments since 16 August 2010. The gardens, on the other hand, received the label "Remarkable Garden" in 2015. Since 1992, the site belongs to the Bernard Hayot group, which continues the production of AOC rum under the brand HSE, distilled from François but raised on site.

The ensemble forms an exceptional testimony of the Martinica sugar and rum era, combining industrial architecture, hydraulic innovation (via water pipeline) and agricultural know-how. The Creole copper column, composed of superimposed trays, illustrates traditional distillation techniques, while the site open to the public values this heritage through visits and tastings.

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