Note the Star of David in the architecture
Depaz, his wife, and 8 (of his eventual 11) children moved into the home in 1923.
The view of the ocean from the foot of the volcano is breathtaking and was meant to display wealth and prestige.
Île Bourbon became known as La Réunion during the French Revolution, well before Chateau Depaz was furnished in the early 20th century; this was obviously a copy of a much older map chosen for aesthetics.
Another historic reprinted map in the decor of Chateau Depaz.
All three of these maps are well known sugar and rum producing regions.
Before the devastating 1902 volcanic eruption, St. Pierre was Martinique’s busiest port and most populous city, going by the nickname “The Paris of the Caribbean.” Countless gallons of rum were unloaded at this port.
Victor Depaz was providently away at college in Bordeaux, France in 1902 when Mount Pelée erupted and the resulting pyroclastic cloud killed his entire family. An estimated 28,000 souls perished that day. 15 years later, he purchased the land on which the Depaz Distillery now resides.
In 1935, an exposition celebrating the 300th anniversary of Martinique was held in Fort-de-France. This impressive art deco styled certificate was awarded to Depaz.
Unique to Depaz is this multi directional cane crushing apparatus - the cane comes through this part of the crusher then is turned 90 degrees to go into the next part of the machine.
The inner workings of a cane crusher being disassembled.
Newly condensed rum runs down from the condensers to this point, where the alcohol percentage is checked with a hydrometer (in the glass canister). The rum is then pumped away to holding tanks to rest.
Obviously they are at an ambient temperature of 34C (93 F), and thus not running.
The rum vapor is run through these water cooled condensers and then the new make rum flows down to the eprouvette, where proof is verified, then eventually to storage.
Very interesting hand drawn map of the specific parcels on the Depaz estate.
Date unknown here, but another hand charted map of the Depaz parcels, with the parcel numbers and names of each plot clearly defined.
Photo by Paul McMillan and Suzanne Long, all rights reserved.