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Heritage classified

Origin and history

The House of Notaries is an emblematic building of Creole urban architecture, built in the last quarter of the eighteenth century in Saint-Denis, on the island of Reunion. Originally conceived as a bourgeois dwelling, it illustrates the model of colonial city houses, with shops on the ground floor and apartments on the first floor. Its strategic location, at the crossroads of La Bourdonnais and Jean-Chatel streets, reflects its importance in the commercial and residential fabric of the city.

Classified as an additional inventory of Historic Monuments since 29 March 1996, the house underwent notable modifications in the 1930s, including on its courtyard façade. Today, it houses an agency of the BRED Banque populaire, demonstrating its adaptation to contemporary uses while preserving its architectural heritage. The official protection concerns the main house, its terrace and the old kitchen, highlighting the historical value of these elements.

The building is part of the wider context of Creole boxes, a type of habitat characteristic of Réunion, mixing European, African and Malagasy influences. These buildings reflected the social hierarchy of the island, where owners – often notables or traders – lived upstairs, while economic activities occupied the ground floor. The House of Notaries is a remarkable example, both in its state of conservation and in its continued use for more than two centuries.

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