Colonial House

Architecture - Le Moule

In the late 19th century, Zévallos was a prosperous sugar-growing region, and a sugar processing plant was established here. This house, the home of the owner, Count Hector Parisis de Zévallos, who made his fortune from sugar, was built in around 1870. It is a fine example of the “chalet” architecture of the late 19th century. In 1910, falling prices led to a major recession, and the sugar plant was forced to close. The building’s brick walls provided insulation. The predominance of wrought iron and cast iron in the wrap-around balconies and structural frame hints at possible involvement by Gustave Eiffel’s engineering firm. The open galleries on upper and lower levels (which serve both as functional living spaces and decorative elements) add to the home’s elegance, with floorboards reminiscent of the Creole style. These houses were fabricated in Europe and bought from catalogues in New Orleans and Guadeloupe, where they were delivered in parts for on-site assembly. The residence later belonged to Joseph Duchassaing, followed in 1881 by his son, and then by a number of consecutive owners. In 1999, it was acquired by Mr. Rosan Debibakas. The building was classified as a historic monument in 1990. On the grounds (over 2 hectares), remnants of the sugar factory remain:  the scale, a rail switch, a furnace, and a handsome brick chimney.