Guadeloupe – Habitation La Mahaudière

Habitation la Mahaudière is part of one of the agricultural exploitation sites which transformed its specialization over time. Initially, in 1732, a cotton factory became a sugar plantation and finally a rum distillery until 1930.

There is little explanation of the site itself. There are ruins there and you can see the windmill converted into a chapel, nothing spectacular per se, but what is not mentioned is a terrible story that requestioned  us about the justice of the 1840s. The son of the original owner, the second owner of the land, was accused of mistreating a slave. The latter, Lucile, was accused by the “master”, Mr. Mahaudière, of having poisoned his wife and of being the source of the loss of part of his cattle. He would then have excessively punished this slave by torturing her, chaining her, rationing her food and locking her in a dungeon for more than a year. An anonymous denunciation led to an investigation, which concluded with a trial and the acquittal of the owner of the premises. Lucile, considered by many as the cause of misfortune and a witch, was then sold.

The ruins of the old sugar factory can be visited freely 12 km (7.5miles) from Anse-Bertrand and are visible when driving on the D120 road in Campeche near Chemin des Portlands at a 90-degree turn in the road. Even Google Maps do not indicate it. A detour is not necessary.

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