Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The statue of François Mahé de La Bourdonnais, located on Candide-Azema Square in Saint-Denis de La Réunion, is a bronze work by sculptor Louis Rochet between 1852 and 1855. Presented at the Universal Exhibition of 1855 where she was awarded a medal, she was inaugurated on 15 August 1856 in the Place du Gouvernement. She represented Admiral Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais, governor of the islands of France (Maurice) and Bourbon (La Réunion) from 1733 to 1746, during which time the number of slaves in La Réunion increased from 648 to more than 2,600.

Ranked in the additional inventory of historical monuments since 14 August 2000, the statue has been the subject of increasing controversy since the 2010s due to the role of La Bourdonnais in slavery. Vandalised on several occasions by activists, it was finally debunked on 4 December 2023 by a joint decision of the town hall of Saint-Denis and the prefecture. His move to the Lambert barracks, the headquarters of the military staff, was challenged by associations such as the Friends of Mahé de La Bourdonnais and local historians, while others saw it as a necessary reassessment of the colonial public space.

The monument is part of a larger commemorative ensemble dedicated to La Bourdonnais, including statues in Port-Louis (Mauritius) and Saint-Malo (British), as well as a bust in Mauritius. At La Réunion, his withdrawal revived discussions on the memory of slavery and the decolonization of urban symbols, opposing the preservation of heritage and defending a reshaping of historical narratives. The statue, owned by the commune, remains an object of tension between colonial heritage and contemporary memorial claims.

External links