Civic architecture · Saint-Paul
Moulin à eau de La Perrière
The only water mill still standing in Réunion, the La Perrière mill dates from 1820. Located in the Grande Fontaine district (Saint-Paul), it has been undergoing restoration since July 2026, led by the Département and the Étang de Saint-Paul National Nature Reserve.
Why it matters
The last water mill standing on the island, a symbol of the subsistence economy of the uplands of Saint-Paul in the 19th century. A place of collective memory for a neighbourhood, with its panoramic viewpoint.
History
Built around 1820 to turn cassava into flour, the La Perrière mill channelled water from the ravine onto a paddle wheel to drive the millstone. Gradually abandoned as farming modernised, the structure became a gathering place for the neighbourhood. In July 2026, an Indian tamarind tree threatening the road and a stone pillar leaning towards the pool led the Département de La Réunion and the GIP managing the Étang de Saint-Paul National Nature Reserve to launch work to make the site safe: pruning and felling the tree, removing the concrete column, and restoring the original layout while keeping the historic piece in a secure location.
Photo: Thierry Caro · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
Sources (4)
- https://imazpress.com/saint-paul/saint-paul-redecouvrez-le-moulin-a-eau-de-la-perriere-lors-dune-visite-gratuite
- https://fdmf.fr/moulins-de-france/liste-moulin/france/dom-tom/la-reunion/moulin-et-roue-a-eau-de-la-perriere/
- https://la1ere.franceinfo.fr/reunion/les-travaux-de-securisation-du-moulin-a-eau-de-saint-paul-ont-debute-1721662.html
- https://guide-reunion.fr/breves/detail/visite-moulin-perriere-tour-des-roches/
