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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Trianon sugar mill, also known as the Roussel-Trianon house, is a former sugar farm founded in 1669 on the south-west coast of Marie-Galante, Guadeloupe. Originally developed as a colonial plantation, it experienced a major expansion in the 18th century under the impetus of Paul Botreau-Roussel. Modernized around 1850, it became an industrial factory equipped with a windmill, a steam machine and advanced sugarcane grinding techniques.

The site, which closed in 1874 during the Antillean sugar crisis, includes remarkable remains: factory ruins, a fireplace, a limestone mill (dated 1800), and a stone and brick stable, rare architecture in Guadeloupe. These elements, partly overgrown by vegetation, illustrate the economic importance of sugar houses in the West Indies. Ranked a historic monument in 1981, the estate now belongs to the Conseil départemental de la Guadeloupe.

In 2021, the Roussel-Trianon sugar mill was selected among the priority sites of the Heritage Lotto, receiving funding to restore its mill, a symbol of its industrial heritage. The site, with the Murat dwelling, is one of the most beautiful examples of 19th-century sugar architecture in the West Indies, reflecting the golden age and decline of this industry.

The old master house, replaced by a manager's house, and the adjacent agricultural buildings underline the duality of the site: place of production and residence. Limestone and brick, atypical materials for the region, reinforce its exceptional character. The remains, despite their degradation, offer a unique insight into the techniques and spatial organization of colonial dwellings.

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