Guadeloupe

Introduction to Guadeloupe

Guadeloupe gives travelers a taste of France in the Tropics. In addition to its Gallic flair and fine Creole cuisine (among the best in the Caribbean), it offers some excellent beaches and mountainous, lush terrain full of gorgeous scenery. The resorts are not as spectacular and plush as those on, say, Anguilla or Jamaica, though there are some large beachfront properties, but you can have a real island experience at small inns where locally prepared food and tranquillity will be highlights of your stay.

Guadeloupe is part of the Lesser Antilles, about 322km (200 miles) north of Martinique. It actually comprises two different islands, separated by a narrow seawater channel known as the Riviere Salee. Grande-Terre, the eastern island, is full of rolling hills and sugar plantations. Basse-Terre, to the west, is a rugged mountainous island, dominated by the 1,440m (4,723-ft.) volcano, La Soufriere, which is still alive and dotted with banana plantations. Guadeloupe's mountains are covered with tropical forests, impenetrable in many places. Beautiful white-sand beaches ring its islands. In the unlikely event that you should grow bored on Guadeloupe, you can hop over to really remote islands offshore, including Iles des Saintes and Marie-Galante.

Originally this "Island of beautiful waters" was called Karukera but Christopher Columbus renamed it in 1493 for Santa Maria de Guadalupe de Estremadura, just before he was driven from the island.

Guadalupe comprises of two large islands, Basse Terre and Grande Terre, and several smaller ones, of which St Martin is shared with the Dutch kingdom. In 1763 the isles came under French rule and they still occupy the island, now mainly as tourists. Pack a French dictionary if you plan a trip here for it's a part of France (like Hawai for the Usa). The people and culture is a harmonious blend of European, African and East Indian origin.

Guadeloupe is well known for its spectacular beaches, most of which are well sheltered and wonderful for swimming and seaside fun. The natural beaches range from the surf-brushed dark sands of western Basse-Terre to the long shiny white stretches encircling Grande-Terre. The two islands, separated by the narrow bridged strait of the Riviere Salee, are often seen as the wings of a butterfly, resting on the Caribbean. They're actually a poor lesson in French for Grand Terre to the east is the smaller of the two, while Basse Terre has the great La Soufriere volcano.

Basse-Terre is the administrative capital of Guadeloupe and the department. There are some very pretty and authentic old buildings of the colonial period in the city. There is an 17th-century cathedral and the ruins of Fort Louis Delgres. Here you'll also find Saint-Claude, a wealthy suburb and summer resort, surrounded by coffee trees and the most beautiful tropical gardens. Matouba, north of Saint-Claude, is an East Indian village known for its waterfalls and springs. There are hot springs and a bottling plant for the local mineral water, a bottle of which makes an excellent souvenir.

Grande-Terre is the commercial centre of Guadeloupe near both the airport and shipping port. It is a quite compact and functional city. Its early colonial buildings were largely destroyed by an earthquake in 1843 and have been replaced with all kinds of new buildings. Also, the Hurricane Hugo did a lot of damage, especially to the trees in the city. This makes the city less coherent ensemble as Basse-Terre is, but it's all the livelier. The central Place de la Victoire was once the site of the guillotine. It's the oldest part of town, which is reasonably intact, and it contains the oldest buildings.

Weather Overview
Like its eastern Caribbean kin, Guadeloupe experiences fairly evenly spread rainfall throughout the year with a wetter season between July and November, which coincides with hurricane season. Higher up, in the more mountainous areas, the rainfall becomes substantially heavier. Tropical heat is the norm for Guadeloupe, with constant highs of around 89°F (32°C) that drop to the warm low 70°Fs (around 20°C ) at night. Again, temperatures are slightly cooler overall at higher altitudes.

Because of its height, the Basse-Terre side is both cooler and rainier than Grande-Terre. Its highest point, La Soufrière, averages 390in (990cm) of rain a year. The trade winds, called alizés, often temper the climate.

Guadeloupe Hotels and Resorts