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Origin and history

The Turquet House is a bourgeois residence located at 40 Roland-Garros Street, in downtown Saint-Denis, on the island of La Réunion. Built in the last quarter of the 19th century, it embodies the Creole domestic architecture of this period, marked by the influence of local elites and economic activities such as rum distillation. The land, initially larger, housed in 1808 a house and outbuildings, surrounded by orchards. Over the course of the century, this domain was fragmented, reflecting the urban and social transformations of Saint-Denis.

In 1890 the lot at the corner of the streets of Paris and Roland Garros was divided, and the eastern plot was acquired in 1893 by Michel Octave Grenier, a rum distiller. The latter erected a new house with its annexes, replacing the previous buildings. The property, characteristic of the affluent houses of the time, combines a garden, fences and a preserved ground floor, elements now protected by its inscription in the Historical Monuments in 2012. The set illustrates Réunion's architectural heritage linked to the sugar economy and colonial urbanization.

The facades, the roof, the ground floor, the fences and the garden (excluding medical practice) have been officially protected since the decree of 26 January 2012. This recognition underscores the heritage value of the site as a witness to the social and economic changes of Saint-Denis between the 19th and 20th centuries. Turquet House remains a remarkable example of Creole bourgeois housing, associated with local figures such as rum distillers, major players in the island economy.

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