Guadeloupe is actually an archipelago of six inhabited islands and many others nearby. The main islands are Basse-Terre and Grand-Terre which comprise the main landmass thought of as “Guadeloupe”, only separated by a narrow channel. The biggest city is Pointe-à-Pitre which sits on this channel and has the main port on the island. Guadeloupe is an overseas department of France. This means that not only is it not an independent country, it is part of the European Union.
I visited Pointe-à-Pitre as part of my Cruise around the Caribbean but because it was an unplanned stop I didn’t have anything lined up. While I enjoyed my day in the city, the French island is unlikely to be one that I return to.
Basic Travel Information
- Location: Leeward Islands
- Country: Overseas department of the French Republic
- Languages: French, Guadeloupean Creole
- Currency: Euro
- Route there: Ferry from Dominica
- Recommended: I didn’t find the area around Pointe-a-Pitre interesting but didn’t see the rest of the island.
My Story
Guadeloupe was an unplanned and unanticipated stop on my cruise. We had been scheduled to dock in Antigua but were unable to head that far north due to gale force winds. The captain announced the change the evening before (at the end of our equally unplanned trip to Martinique). This led to some amusing conversations with other tourists on the ship (mostly American) starting along the lines of “What’s Guadeloupe…?” Honestly though I could tell them that it was a French island and where it was on a map but beyond that I also had no idea what there was to see and do on the island. I was slightly annoyed by the switch as Antigua had been a stop I was looking forward to with one of my most anticipated kayaking and snorkelling excursions. Guadeloupe had better be good!
I decided to just explore by myself again since all the interesting sounding excursions had already sold out so I got off the ship early and set off into Pointe-à-Pitre. I wandered around the centre of town then through the outskirts and down the coast to a marina and an area with a couple of forts that had lots of interesting history in the regular conflicts between the British and French over the island.
Unfortunately, it was another bad day for weather in the Caribbean, with regular frequent heavy showers. I managed to shelter from the worst of them with the aide of shops, bus stations and some incredibly lovely drivers who saw me struggling to get my raincoat on in time, pulled up and flung open the car door so I could dive in. By the time we’d introduced ourselves and got back to the main road the rain had passed and we were going in opposite directions anyway so I climbed back out, delighted by how lovely people are in this region.
I’ve heard about some beautiful regions of the islands, away from the main towns so if I ever go back there would be a lot more still to see. I don’t know if that will happen though, there are several others that I would prioritise for a return far more.
Brief History
I was completely unaware of any of the history of the Caribbean Islands when I visited. While travelling around and writing these articles I became curious and decided to include a brief history of each. I hope you find it interesting.
Historically occupied by the Arawak people then the Caribs, Guadeloupe was colonised by the French in 1626. It saw many conflicts with the local Caribs, then was attacked and captured by the British during the 7-years war. It was returned to French control in exchange for all the French territory in Canada in the Treaty of Paris at the end of the war. During the French imperial era it was captured by the British and given to Sweden before being returned to France. In the 1970s there was a significant push for full independence which by the 1980s had become violent. It never achieved independence but was granted greater autonomy.
Logistics
Guadeloupe is one of the few Caribbean islands that you can get to reliably by ferry. There are regular connections to St Lucia, Dominica and Martinique using “Express des iles” ferries https://www.express-des-iles.fr/. They are reliable and comfortable as long as you don’t get seasick and go on a day with incredibly rough seas!
Places Nearby & Trip Planning
Martinique has lots to see and do so you can spend a long time exploring the island. If you are trying to explore the Caribbean you could include trips to the following islands without relying on expensive flights:
Also see my main article: Travelling in the Caribbean
When to Visit
Guadeloupe is regularly affected by the Caribbean hurricane season which runs between June and November
High season is December – March and Guadeloupe is much busier and dramatically more expensive in this period.
The island is extremely hot all year, bring sunscreen but also make sure you have your raincoat on you at all times as you can never predict when a heavy rain shower will sweep over you.
Further Information
These websites were my favourite sources of general information for this location:
Last Updated: May 2020
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