At the outbreak of the Haitian Revolution, the Plaine du Cul-de-Sac was one of the richest parts of St-Domingue. Little remains of this period, but one important sugar mill constructed at the end of the 19th century now stands as a museum. Exhibits are mainly open air, surrounded by low colonial-style buildings that comprised factories and shops, plus a collection of sugarcane presses, boilers and part of the aqueduct used to drive the mills.
There’s a train for the narrow-gauge railway laid to carry sugarcane to the factories. The park is also a popular outdoor venue for music concerts, and every October hosts the Artisanat en Fête, Haiti’s largest crafts fair. Held over two days, artisans gather from across the country, along with Haitian fashion designers and food producers. There’s live music then, too.
