BUREAU DU GÉNIE ET DES PONTS ET CHAUSSÉES

Located at the eastern end of rue Levassor in the Fort district, the Génie and Ponts et chaussées offices have occupied since 1855 the site of a private house built in 1810, after the dismantling of part of the Larochetière dwelling at the end of the ^18th century.

The 1902 eruption destroyed all the structures except the terraces and retaining wall; the other buildings are in ruins. The site housed several buildings arranged in a tiered construction on several terraces, connected by staircases. In the middle of the upper terrace was the main building, housing the offices of the Engineering and Civil Engineering Departments.

Today, the three-terrace layout continues, offering an extraordinary view of the surrounding countryside. A visit to the site reveals the remains of a beautiful old house with large basins, a double waterfall that fed a pool built at its foot, and well-preserved kitchens.

The site is also striking for the ingenious hydraulic system that supplied the Bureau du Génie and the Maison Coloniale de Santé opposite, via the Canal du Fort. The omnipresence of water is typical of pre-1902 Saint-Pierre: controlled runoff, cascading waterfalls, fountains and ornamental spray basins, a functional pool, running water upstairs.