La Bastille: Building History and Cultural Heritage

English River can be explored through its distinctive cultural heritage: La Bastille Building is listed as national cultural heritage for English River. The 2018 tourism plan included La Bastille among the Seychelles’ cultural attractions marketed under the “Patrimwann” brand. The building thus combines a local cultural heritage designation with a cultural connection at the Seychelles level.

La Bastille was built in the early 1930s by Ange Pilleron and was intended to reflect the family’s great wealth. The construction period and this design purpose provide two concrete reference points in the building’s history: when it was built and the impression it was meant to convey. For those interested in cultural history, the building’s appeal lies not only in its name but also in the connection between family history and the intention to make a grand statement.

Victoria and the History of the Seychelles

Victoria is located mostly in English River. The National Museum of History in Victoria collects, preserves and displays historical artefacts. Its exhibitions illustrate the history of the Seychelles and include ethnological objects relating to the traditions and ways of life of earlier times. Alongside La Bastille’s building history, the museum thus offers a glimpse of material evidence and the ways of life it illustrates.

If you are planning a museum visit, please check the National Museum of History’s current visitor policies in advance.

The Wider Destination of the Seychelles

Nature and cultural experiences take many forms across the Seychelles. On La Digue, the Veuve Special Reserve covers 21 hectares and forms part of a 200-hectare plateau on the island’s western side. Reserve staff answer questions and help visitors find birds. On Praslin, the 19.5-hectare Vallée de Mai is one of the world’s smallest natural UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It is also the only area in the Seychelles where all six species occur together. The comparison highlights two different perspectives: a nature reserve forming part of a larger plateau, and a place distinguished by the presence of all six species together.

Moyenne Island, in the Ste. Anne Marine National Park, also combines landscape and history: it is home to the remains of early settlers’ houses, pirate graves and a small thatched chapel. On Curieuse, a mangrove swamp borders Baie Laraie. A raised boardwalk runs through the swamp, providing access to the mangrove habitat even at high tide. Curieuse was used as a quarantine site for people with leprosy for almost a hundred years.

The marine parks in the Seychelles can be reached by boat; Port-Launay is accessible on foot. There are several short paths in Praslin National Park; Glacis Noire is the only official trail. The park is a habitat for endemic, indigenous and native plants, as well as various insects and other animals, including the Black Parrot, which is found only on Praslin and the surrounding islets.

Discover more destinations: Anse aux Pins, La Digue And Inner Islands, Mont Fleuri, Au Cap, Takamaka, Anse Boileau, Mont Buxton, Glacis

Go to the main travel overview: Seychelles.