Period of Penitentiary Activity 1864-1879 (≈ 1872)
Operation of the children's agricultural penitentiary.
9 janvier 2008
Classification of Historic Monuments
Classification of Historic Monuments 9 janvier 2008 (≈ 2008)
Registration by prefect Pierre-Henry Maccioni.
2020
Archaeological excavations
Archaeological excavations 2020 (≈ 2020)
Campaign conducted by INRAP.
2021
Selection at the Heritage Lotto
Selection at the Heritage Lotto 2021 (≈ 2021)
Site selected for restoration.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Planèze de l'Ilet-à-Guillaume, including all the remains there and the historical path that leads from the Window to the Planèze (Box CK 26, 21 to 23, 25): inscription by decree of 9 January 2008
Key figures
Pierre-Henry Maccioni - Prefect of the Meeting
Classified the site in 2008.
Origin and history
The Îlet à Guillaume is a historic site located 700 metres above sea level on a morne of the island of La Réunion, accessible by a great hiking trail. Between 1864 and 1879 he housed an agricultural penitentiary for children, run by the missionary congregation of the Holy Spirit. Up to 4,000 children were confined there, participating in agricultural work and in the construction of local infrastructure, under a strict prison regime.
The site, now in ruins, includes the remains of the prison buildings and a cemetery where the victims of this system are buried. He was listed as a Historic Monument in 2008 by Prefect Pierre-Henry Maccioni. In 2020, INRAP conducted major archaeological excavations on the site, revealing key elements of its history.
The Îlet à Guillaume was also selected for the 2021 edition of the Heritage Lotto, highlighting its cultural and historical importance. The site is located in Réunion National Park and remains a poignant testimony to the island's colonial and prison history.
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