Wooden house (Saint Charles school)

Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Choppy House, now known as the Saint Charles School, is an emblematic building of Saint Peter, on the island of La Réunion. Built in the first half of the 18th century, this wooden house illustrates the Creole architectural heritage of the colonial era. Its style reflects local construction techniques, adapted to tropical climate and available resources on the island.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the property belonged to Furcy Choppy, a rich planter of Saint-Pierre. In the 1830s, she passed into the hands of Blainville Choppy, founder of the Sucrerie de Grand Bois, highlighting her link with the then dominant sugar economy in Réunion. The latter probably inherits it as part of a family heritage linked to the agricultural and industrial holding in the region.

In 1895 Charles Choppy (or Coppy), made Roman Count by the pope, gave the house to the brothers of Christian schools. These religious establish a school called Saint-Charles in tribute to its donor. The building, transformed into a school, thus retains an educational and religious vocation until its classification as a historical monument on 28 December 1984. Today, only facades, roofs, gate and entrance gate are protected.

The Saint Charles school embodies both the legacy of colonial plantations and the history of Catholic education in Reunion. Its wooden architecture, typical of Creole boxes, makes it a rare testimony of the pre-industrial domestic constructions. The house is located at 28 rue Marius-et-Ary-Leblond, in downtown Saint-Pierre, although some sources mention an approximate address at 1 rue Rodier.

External links