Maison Carrère, Colonial mansion in Saint-Denis, Réunion Island, France.
Maison Carrère is a two-story white building with traditional French colonial architecture constructed in the early 1900s in Saint-Denis. It features tall windows, wooden shutters, and ornamental balcony railings on the upper level.
An original single-story wooden house from 1820 was transformed in 1908 by sugar merchant Raphaël Carrère into the grand mansion that stands today. This renovation reflected the growing wealth and urban development happening in Saint-Denis.
The rooms inside display period furniture and everyday objects that show how wealthy French colonial residents lived on Réunion Island during the 1800s. Walking through them gives a sense of their daily habits and the comfort they enjoyed.
The building sits on Rue de Paris in central Saint-Denis and is easily walkable from the main areas. It now operates as the local tourist office and offers guided visits of the interior throughout the week.
The mansion was one of the final major architectural improvements that marked the completion of an important phase of urban development along Rue de Paris. The transformation of the original modest wooden house into a grand residence shows how the merchant class shaped the city's character.
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