Guadeloupe

Updated 04.16.2006

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Guadeloupe

Martinique

Guadeloupe Island is an overseas department of France and so it is also a marginal European Community territory, with quite good economical conditions. It’s a butterfly shaped island with two very different sides connected by a narrow isthmus.

Grande-Terre, at the eats side, is plate and rich of wonderful beaches, in this part of the island are located all the majors hotels. It’s also the agricultural part of the island with old sugar factories and distilleries.

Basse-Terre, at the west side, is mountainous and partly covered by a luxuriant rain forest. Its peak is the Sulfuriere, a 1467 meters high volcano (last eruption in 1976). It's a paradise for trekking, canoeing and naturalistic explorations.

This side of the island has a rainy climate and is rich of lakes, falls and rivers, a wonderful occasion for a fresh bath during your trekking.

You need to rent a car in order to be able to enjoy fully your stay.

What to see:

Grande-Terre

	Pointe des Châteaux, a wonderful landscape over the extreme east point of the island, magnificent and lonely beaches nearby.
	Pointe de la Grande Vigie, at the north side of the island on the wild coast, with magnificent views. In crystal clear days you can see from here the Monserrat volcano with its permanent eruption.
	Sainte Anne and San François with their magnificent beaches and lagoons, protected by a coral reef.
	Point à Pitre, the main city, with its markets and old colonial architecture.

Basse-Terre

	The Route de la Traversée, a magnificent road that cross the mountain trough the rain forest.
	The chutes of Carbet a fine waterfall very easy to reach from the road, and with a fresh little lake where is very pleasant to take a bath.
	The volcano La Soufrière. A wonderful walking and a great landscape on the entire island.
	Anse à la barque and Ponte Noire.

Suggestions:

	Creole cooking is really interesting, try the on the road vendors of foods and ices. Very interesting the coco ice (sorbet de coco), the fried cod (accras de morue) and the smoked chicken (poulet boucanée), all very cheap.
	Try the restaurant Le Vieux Port at St Françoise, on the harbor, phone 0590884660, for me the best restaurant in Guadeloupe, a little expensive. Try the very old rums and the macerated ones with tropical fruits.
	Another good restaurant is the Iguana Café, near the point de Châteaux, phone 0590886137, expensive.
	Buy old rums at the distilleries and drink the ti' punch, a very good cocktail.
	Try the Caribbean style of life, laziness and pleasure.

My best addresses:

	Guadeloupe tourist office
	Pointe à Pitre Airport
	guadeloupe national park/
	Grande-Anse
	sailing in Guadeloupe
	lonelyplanet.com/destinations/caribbean/guadeloupe/
	webcaraibes.com/guadeloupe/
	martiguade.par-le-net.com/
	les-saintes-guadeloupe.com/
	guadeloupe-panorama.com/

Have a good stay.

If you want to share your impressions and addresses E-Mail me.

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