Agriculture and viticulture Atlantic Coast

Crossed by the River Lézarde, Habitation Saint-Étienne is one of the island's most innovative distilleries. Nestled in the heart of exuberant vegetation, the architectural ensemble dominates the old distillery and outbuildings. Don't miss a visit to the magnificent Jardin Remarquable. Continue on to the historic cellars and the boutique, which hosts exhibitions. Since this year, HSE has been offering rum-chocolate workshops with a tour of the estate's cocoa plantations, cocktail workshops on request, and has just launched a range of rhums arrangés.

In the heart of the Caravelle peninsula, the Hardy rum estate is in the midst of conversion. Anchored for 5 generations by the same family, Hardy rum is gradually emerging from its reserve, thanks to a revival project due to see the light of day in 2024. Although this former ^19th-century distillery has not been in operation for several years, production of this legendary rum has continued under the leadership of Jean-Pascal and Gaëlle Hardy, who have launched a range of exceptional rums of ever-increasing quality. But now, they want to go one step further and breathe new life into this ruined distillery with a project to refurbish the old factory, creating a museum and an ageing cellar. The idea of the current owners is to breathe new life into the old distillery through an educational tour designed to showcase the Caravelle peninsula's unique rum. With work scheduled for completion in 2024, visitors can already admire some of the distillery's industrial heritage exhibits, including the 1946 steam engine, the 1918 distilling column, and the 1930s chimney and boiler. A rooftop above the old stone wine storehouse offers visitors a bird's-eye view of the distillery, and a superb panorama of the sea, îlet Tartane and plage de la Brèche. A magical place to discover in the unspoilt setting of the Caravelle Nature Reserve..

It is still possible to admire on both sides of the D10 the ruins of this old sugar house transformed into a distillery in the 19^th century and which faces the sea. The old chimney, still standing, indicates its location. Mill, boilers and evacuation pipes are still visible and evoke the rich past of its rum activity. The distillery stopped working in 1963. At the soccer field, take the path that crosses the banana and sugarcane fields: you will arrive at a temple dedicated to the goddess Mariamman.

The Habitation Beauséjour, skilfully preserved, is probably one of the most beautiful on the island. The estate is still structured as it was in its original form with the wooden mansion (1820), the entrance pavilion, the stone kitchen and the “case-à-nègres” street where the slaves were housed. The old distillery now houses the banana shed. A large water wheel is still preserved there. Since the post-war period, banana cultivation has replaced sugar cane and cocoa on the estate, which covers more than 50 hectares.

Until the middle of the 19^th century, the habitations Chéneaux, Macouba and Bellevue formed a single entity that produced a wonderful tobacco. Of the Habitation, only two pillars remain, which mark the limits of the former domain. The land once dedicated to the cultivation of pétun (tobacco) is now devoted to bananas. A nice hike leads to a hermitage of the time, named La maison du Moine, today a center for seismic measurements. Discover the ruins of the former mansion buried under the vegetation.