Karukera

Thus Christophe Colomb, astounded by the abundance of the vegetation, called that which it discovered one morning of November 1493, during its second voyage towards the Indies Occidentales. For more than two months, the crossing of the Atlantic had lasted for ever. The water reserves threatened to become exhausted and the crew, a little earlier, had undergone a violent storm. Without another recourse, the navigator had turned to Santa Maria de Guadalupe. Healthy parvenu and except for a green, rich ground of promises of supply, it dedicated his discovery to him. Thus, gradually, one came from there to know the island under the name of Guadeloupe. A long time before, the Caribbean Indians had called it Karukera, “the island with beautiful water”.
One often compared the Guadeloupe with a butterfly deployed on the Caribbean Sea. In north, Large-Ground is in fact, with 560 km2, smallest of the two wings. Limestone and not very broken, retaining with sorrow rainwater brought by the trade winds of the North-East, it is the field of the cane with sugar and the hand-trucks, the oxcarts. On the Eastern coast, opened with the 2 hurricanes, the Atlantic beachcombers fall down with crash, whereas with two steps the southernmost littoral spreads out the most beautiful beaches of the Guadeloupe. Sand gilded and tepid water are well with go. In the west, with two steps of the Salted River, a narrow making sea water channel makes two islands of the Guadeloupe, is of them Pointe-à-Pitre, the principal city.
In the south, Low-Ground (800 km2) in spite of its name is invaded by the mass of the unforeseeable volcano of the Sulfur mine, culminating with 1467 Mr. the rain is crushed on the stiff slopes of the mountains upset by the successive eruptions and in the fertile valleys, nourishing an unslung flora and tens of torrents bursting in tumultuous cascades. Along the cut out coasts, villages are anchored to the bay bottom protected by true rock ramparts. If one also cultivates the cane in the area of Holy-Rose. One devotes oneself especially here to banana, the coffee and the cocoa. With the south-western point, the small basic-Ground city endorses, rather than Pointe-à-Pitre, the role of chief town of the department.
With a population exceeding the 400000 inhabitants, the Guadeloupe is one of the islands densément populated of the Antilles - what is not without causing problems of housing and unemployment. The majority of these inhabitants are originating in Africa, descendants of slaves brought of force to XVIIe and XVIIIe centuries to work in the plantations. If the preeminence of the cane tends to disappear, the weight of the past remains sometimes heavy to carry. However, the interbreeding and the passage of time gave rise to a new, original culture where are frays the influences of the ones and others.

History

Time précolombienne

With the paddle of the Christian era, Indian tribes originating in South America go up the West-Indian arc. From IXe century, Arawaks, peaceful farmers, are gradually driven out and decimated by the Caribbean Indians, come from the area of Orénoque.

XVe-XVIIe century.

In 1493, during its second voyage, Christophe Colomb discovers the Guadeloupe as well as Désirade and the Holy ones. After the massacre of several Spanish missionaries, the island remains unoccupied until 1626, when unloads a Norman gentleman, Pierre Belain d' Esnambuc. Last nine years later, the first attempt at installation, with 550 French colonists carried out by the sieurs Duplessis and Lyenard of the Olive knows very difficult beginnings. The diseases and the attacks of the Caribbean make devastations. However, the triangular trade is set up little by little: “imported” slaves of Africa start to work with the culture of cotton and the indigo. Initially private field of the Company of the Western Indies, the island changes several times of hands before being joined together with the Crown in 1674.

XVIIIe century.

The culture of the cane requiring a labor increasingly more important, slavery intensifies. It reaches its climax in second half of the century. In parallel, the Franco-British piracy and wars throw with regular intervals the disorder in the island. In 1759, the Guadeloupe falls between the hands from the English. It is restored four years later. In 1794, the French revolution, under the influence of the Company of the Friends of the Blacks, decides the emancipation of the slaves. But the Guadeloupe, remained royalist, refuses to subject itself and called upon the English. Convention then dispatches Victor Hugues, who undertakes, using the guillotine, to make return the growers in the row; 4000 of them are carried out.

XIXe-XXe century.

In 1802, Napoleon, then First Consul, reintroduced slavery. The freed men a few years earlier, carried out by Delgrès, raise themselves. The revolt is repressed in a blood bath. With the favor of the Napoleonean wars, Great Britain occupies the island again. It is necessary to wait until 1846 and the intervention of Victor Schoelcher, deputy of the French West Indies, so that the State decides finally the stamping from the slaves of its field. Two years later, final abolition is signed: 87.500 slaves
inhabitants of Guadeloupe find freedom. Their owners are compensated. The production of sugar breaks down. The growers then recruit workers in the French establishments of Inde.En 1871, the Guadeloupe makes its entry at the French Parliament. In 1946, it becomes, as well as Martinique and Reunion, French department.

Pointe-à-Pitre

Time when there was here only one tiny village of fishermen, a few years only after the arrival of the first colonists, a Dutch fisherman named Pieter sold his fish at the end of a rock point. The inhabitants took the practice to indicate the place as the “Point with Pieter”. Little by little to the favor of the English occupations and the variations of pronunciation, one came from there to speak about Pointe-à-Pitre. It is always around the Wet dock, the port, that the heart of the city beats. Cargo liners and Yachts, boats, saintoises and ferries drop anchor there, mooring along the quay where each morning the saleswomen propose bound crabs and tropical fruits. The banana modes pile up, overflowing of the market open on the sea. For a few euros, why not taste with the quenettes, vaguely similar to the litchis, or the pineapples bottles sweetened, just collected.

Against the market, vis-a-vis the Wet dock, the place of the Victoire, ringed royal palm trees and small coffees, is a place of required appointment. One finds oneself there, one throws to it winks, one awaits the bus there. Its name commemorates the English defeat under the blows of Victor Hugues, come to restore in Guadeloupe the reign of the French revolution. On this same esplanade, many are the heads of the small growers who rolled: in these dark times, one had installed the guillotine there. One recognizes easily in the west, the Tourist bureau to his white frontage and his colonnades.
Just behind, a small street leads to the basilica Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul, site of the great annual festival of the Cookers. With this occasion, at the beginning of August, the old women of the island members of the Association of the Mutual Cook cover scarves and Madras for a few hours of a festival to the colors of the past. In a black building of world, one celebrates the mass in the greatest pageantry. Top of the higher balcony, the sight on this tide of costumes rosy and gold is spectacular. The procession leads then these injuries through the streets, where they distribute the products of their kitchen. The basilica, destroyed by the seism of 1843 was rebuilt on the model of the buildings out of iron and steel made famous for Gustave Eiffel.
To a few hundred meters towards the west, the street Frébault grouille of activity. Attracted by the good bargains, one y musarde, one y commercial, farfouillant in the stalls of the stores of fabrics and clothing overflowing on the pavements. With the crossing of the street Peynier, the market hall Saint-Anthony abounds in fresh products. It is the ideal address for those which wish to bring back vanilla of the islands, grooves or spices.
By going up the street Peynier towards the west, the port in the back, one reaches the Schoelcher Museum quickly, devoted to work and the life of the man responsible for the abolition of slavery in 1848. Everywhere today, through the islands, you will meet places, streets and avenues bearing the name of this hero of the French West Indies.
Of return close to the wet dock, one finds easily, where the street of Nozières crosses the street Achille Rene Boisneuf, the Museum Saint-John Perse. One preserves at it, in a splendid colonial residence, the memory of the Nobel Prize of Literature (1960). Wire of a family of growers, of his true name Alexis Leger, this one left at twelve years the Guadeloupe not to return there never again. The Inhabitants of Guadeloupe always hold rigor of it to him, even if some of its more beautiful poems find their inspiration in the West-Indian palms and trade winds. The house has an astonishing course: built in France in spare parts, it was in the beginning intended for a rich person creole family of Louisiana. It was sold in way to make it possible to pay repairs of the boat which transported it.

Around "Large-Ground" Grande Terre

Closing the roads of Pointe-à-Pitre by the east, the residential district of Bottom of Strong preserves of its strategic past strong the Fleur d' Epée, a massive masonry with the coral walls kept by three formidable guns. In 1794, English and French fought here with the body with body to preserve the control of the hill, considered as essential with the defense of the Guadeloupe. A small museum points out the facts, but the principal interest of the excursion lies in the splendid panorama extending on the littoral and until Marie-Gallant. One also finds in Bas of the Fort a large marina and an aquarium.
Towards the east the “Riviera” inhabitant of Guadeloupe begins. On about thirty kilometers, of Gosier with Saint-François, sands clearly bordered of palm trees and tourist complexes follow one another. The Point of the Greenery, to 10 min only of Pointe-à-Pitre, has some of the most attended beaches (the weekend in particular) and a great number of hotels of luxury and discotheques. Near, the old village of Gosier dominates over turquoise marine resources the islet of the same name, overcome of a red headlight and a bouquet of vegetation. Principal place, the sight is splendid. Do not hesitate to borrow the short staircase going down from a handle Lilliputian. Pretty coloured boats and some sailing ships are balanced there, being used as springboard with families of pelicans. A shuttle service makes it possible to go on the islet of Gosier, famous for its naturist beach.
About fifteen kilometers towards the east, Holy-Anne, an old sugar city, are from now on in full heart of the “coast of idleness”. The beach skirting the road is pleasant, but that of the Caravel, on the point closing bay in the west, is well more still. Belonging to the Mediterranean Club, it is however opened with the public. Difficult to affirm it, so much the range is broad, but it is often said that it is most beautiful of all. Soft waves come to lick there a fair sand to the foot of gracefully curved coconuts.
Fifteen kilometers additional and you reach Saint-François, peaceful village of fishermen become high place of tourism inhabitant of Guadeloupe. Its marina is most important today of the island after that of Bottom of the Fort and the tourist infrastructures pushed a little everywhere. One can practice there the sail and all the water sports, just like the golf, tennis or horsemanship. Followers of sand hot will level with beach of Grapes Clear, which draws its name from the trees which border it, of the résiniers to the broad sheets and the green fruits arranged in the shape of bunches.
Carnival
Each year, in January, the joy goes down in the streets. Since weeks, one prepares the costumes. During a few days, the jubilation will seize all. Fatty Tuesday: red devils, monsters in all kinds, dwarves and giants ravel in uninterrupted farandoles. Of the baby to the old man, all take part, grimés and masked. The evening of the Ash Wednesday, an immense crowd, vêtue of black and white, accompanies the Vaval melancholic person to his last residence. Before the paddle does not arrive, the god of the festival is consumed on immense to rough-hew in a good-bye tearing with the rejoicings.

Of Saint-François, the road, skirting the ocean, carries out in ten kilometers to the Point of the Castles, a kind of Finistere contrasting in an obvious way with the landscapes crossed up to now. The attacks of the Atlantic inlassablement carved the friable rock of cliff there. A path through the undergrowth leads in ten minutes to the foot of a large cement cross from where the sight carries to the uninhabited islands of the Small Earth and, beyond, until Désirade. Towards the west, behind the Great given up Saltworks, one distinguishes the beautiful extents from sand of the Handle Winnows and the Handle of the Gourd, very indicated places of bathe.
Of return to Saint-François, one generally continues towards north, in direction of the Mould, penetrating on the territory of the plantations of cane. In an episodical way, the ruins of sucrotes, old mills being used to crush the plant to extract sugar from it, decorate the landscape. In way, you will pass on your line the small house of growers of Zévallos. In the interior of the grounds, Bellevue distilling perpetuates the tradition of rum. The working days, from February to June, season of harvest, you will have all the chances to pass a hand-truck coming there to deliver its cane.
The Mould is hardly characterized by its beach, but by very interesting Musée Edgar-Clerk, sheltering a splendid collection of arawak objects and the Caribbean discovered in the surroundings.
While going up towards the septentrional Large-Ground point, stronghold of long date of the sugar aristocracy, a sea of cane undulates ad infinitum, intersected here and there with the silhouettes of others sucrotes dilapidated. With the Door of Hell, the waves formed a long trench, particularly favourable with the bathe. Better in week so much crowd is worth to come there presses itself there the weekend.
In extreme north, the road stops with the Point of the Large Watchtower. A short path leads to the cliff ridge colossal plunging thickly in the ocean. In the sky, the frigates fly majestic, carried by ascending currents. At this place, at the XIXe century, still in a reserve the last descendants of the Caribbean Indians lived now disappeared.
On the road of the return towards Pointe-à-Pitre, take time to stop you in Port Louis, bathed by superb Anse of the Blower, ideal to prick a head. Dull-in-1' Eau is as for it known for its astonishing cemetery with the tombs entirely covered with black squares and white in checkerwork. In the east of Abymes, little before reaching Pointe-à-Pitre, of the tortuous roads is inserted towards Deep seas, an area where hundreds of hills accumulate oddly. It is in this insulated corner that into 1794 the small white growers took refuge trying to escape the guillotine from Victor Hugues. White-Matignon, as they are called, refuse today still to mingle their blood with that from abroad or the descendants with their former slaves.

Around "Low-Ground" Basse Terre

While descending along the Eastern coast basic-Ground, one passes Small-Borough, carries access to the floral garden of Valombreuse, then Goyave. Sainte-Marie, a few kilometers further, owes its name in Christophe Colomb. It is here that the navigator and his men unloaded in 1493, causing the escape of the Caribbean. A bust of Génois, on the place of the village, commemorates the event.
Halfway of Sainte-Marie and Capesterre, difficult not to notice the Hindu temple with the many divinities of plaster painted of colors sharp. Built by the immigrants come to work in the plantations at the XIXe century, there remains very attended by the community hindouist. The area, favourable with the culture of banana, enorgueillit of many plantations. It is possible, the days of activity, to visit that of Large Coffee. You will undoubtedly have noticed that the modes are wrapped in plastic bags: that with an aim of accelerating their ripening.
After Capesterre, which one reaches in the middle of blazing, the road engages between two majestic lines of royal palm trees: it is the Dumanoir Alley.
By continuing towards the south, right before Banana tree the named good, a small tortuous road climbs in direction of the falls of Carbet, passing near several floral exploitations, of which some are opened with the public. It is the occasion to walk in the middle of a profusion of splendid anthuriums, heliconias and other birds of paradise and, perhaps, to buy some of them before the return. The road penetrates then the forest, skirting one moment the Large Pond, then reached the view-point, from where one sees without sorrow two of the three falls. A a little muddy path, framed by tree ferns, carries out in half an hour to nearest, dégringolant of the mountain on nearly 110 Mr. C' is a very popular excursion near the Inhabitants of Guadeloupe and it is preferable, if you make a point of benefitting from the serenity of the places, to come there in week.
With Three-Rivers, wearing of loading for the islands of Holy, the archaeological park of the Rocks Engraved, located on the hill dominating the port, gathers within a pleasant framework of tropical garden more than 200 petroglyphs due to the Indians arawak, the first inhabitants of the island. One recognizes there without sorrow of the human faces and multiple geometrical figures. A few kilometers in the west of Three-Rivers, the beach of Large Handle has a beautiful black sand.
Exceeding the southern point of the island, here is Low-Ground, the administrative chief town of the Guadeloupe, a small city deadened without true tourist claim. From there, a sinuous road rises in direction of Saint-Claude, a long time remained the vacation resort of predilection of the families of growers, then towards the Sulfur mine. Just after the entry of the park, the House of the Volcano will inform you about the activity of the mountain, whose “vapor explosions”, in 1976, caused in the middle of force controversies the evacuation of all the inhabitants of the area basic-Ground. Finally, no eruption took place. Savanna with Mules, at the end of the road, to 1142 m of altitude, a stony path rises quickly towards the top, reached in a good hour of walk. The landscape that you discover is lunar: peeled ground, perforated monstrous vents, rise in a cataclysmic noise of colossal vapor clouds.

Basic-ground, the road goes up along the Western coast of the island, marrying a rough ground of courses and rock headlands. If, until Ebullient, the ground seems relatively arid - the rains, retained by the Sulfur mine, do not arrive until there -, the vegetation takes again then its rights in a vice of flowers and chlorophyl. Vis-a-vis the hamlet of Malendure, the islet of Pigeon is, thanks to the intervention of the Commander Cousteau, become an underwater reserve. One can there plunge in the middle of a variegated fish rainbow or, if one prefers, embark on board a boat at bottom of glass.
A little later in Mahaut, you will have to decide way to borrow for the return towards Pointe-à-Pitre. The road of the Crossing, shortest, cut Low-Ground in its heart by the national park of the Guadeloupe. It is the occasion of a pleasant walk through the 30000 ha of this splendid tropical forest where abound mahogany trees, tree ferns and plants épiphytes of all kinds. One of the favorite excursions consists in going to the cascade to Crayfish, a small fall located within a beautiful wild framework, pretexts with merry bathes in fresh water. Previously, you will have passed the House of the Forest, from where a network of paths invites to other walks.
The other option, longer, consists in continuing the increase of the littoral. Passed Mahaut, the road reaches Black Pointe, then Deshaies, an adorable village of fishermen nested at the bottom of a well protected bay. One practices deep-sea diving with assiduity there. A little later Large Handle, splendid rounded of clear sand, remains in spite of the devastations of a hurricane - the coconuts lost the head there - one of the preferred beaches of the Inhabitants of Guadeloupe.
All in north, in the area of Holy-Rose, the only basic-Ground which escapes the influence from the mountains, the culture of the cane with sugar remains the principal activity. It is here that into 1636 the 550 men at the origin of the first attempt at colonization of the Guadeloupe unloaded. One can visit in the surroundings the distilling of the field of Severin. That of Rémonenq, which ceased any activity, was converted into interesting Musée of Rum. A gallery of insects in addition there is found.

Marie-Galante

Baptized by Christophe Colomb of the name of one of its vessels, Marie-Gallant, to 40 km in the south-east of the Guadeloupe, is since its introduction to the XVIIe century by Constant of Aubigné, the father of the future Madam de Maintenon, the kingdom of the cane with sugar. From one end to another of the island, the fields undulate under the trade winds, piqués here and there of the innumerable ruins sucrotes. In the east of Large Borough, where the ferry accosts, one can visit the vestiges of the Murât castle, in fact a vast plantation of which hardly remain that the walls of the residence and the old mill to crush the cane.
Elsewhere, one will attend the traditional manufacture of the rum, famous among best of the world. On the road of Saint-Louis, in a factory antédiluvienne, Poisson distilling produces celebrates it rum of the Labat Father, of the name of the father missionary who, at the end of XVIIe, made known it and improved his method of distillation. The machines are the same ones as at the beginning of the XXe century and the whole functions, after a fashion, in a terrible jumble. Less known but quite as old, distilling Rod, between Large Borough and Capesterre, in the east, also deserves a visit.
For the remainder, Marie-Gallant has some of the most beautiful beaches of the Guadeloupe. Close to Capesterre, those of Feuillère and Small Handle underline of their clear sand two perfect arcs of circle. Attention however with the force of the rollers. With the other end of the island, last Saint-Louis, the beach of Mosquito and that of the Handle of the Strong Old man were alanguissent, idyllic, with the foot of coconuts débonnaires - this time, they is coconuts which it is necessary to be wary if there is wind!

Désirade

Generally forsaken by the tourists, Désirade, floating in the east of the Point of the Castles, will like those which seek absolute peace. Arid and afflicted, it counts in all and for all 200 inhabitants, living chichement of agriculture and fishing. At the beginning of the XVIIIe century, by fear of the contagion, one exiled of force, in the east of the island (with Bay-Mahault, where some vestiges of the colony remain), the leprous ones of the Guadeloupe. Some families of “small poor White”, whose certain descendants of noble families, ruined or banished of their family, settled in their turn in the west. Few activities to the program, if it is not the bathe, along beautiful deserted beaches, and the diving.

Pleasures of the table

It is in the Guadeloupe and Martinique that one finds the best kitchen of the Caribbean. Prepared well, the creole dishes mix all the influences with the islands, Frenchwoman, Indian, African, with ingredients of an exceptional freshness. The fish and the shellfish are distinguished in all logic. Here some of the specialities most frequently met:
Achards: vegetables navy. Creole Boudin: can be very spiced. Chadrons: white sea urchins, sometimes been useful out of omelet. Wild: very spiced dish of fried cod, manioc, lawyer and pepper. Lambi: the black flesh this large shell can be pulp in a ragout or roasted with green garlic and lemon-yellow. Crab Matété: the flesh is jumped to garlic and onions and is adapted to pepper and thyme, lemon juice. Ouassous: large crayfish fished in the torrents. Delicious, they are however increasingly rare. Calalou: in the beginning a dish prepared by the slaves, it acts of a kind of soup very rich, near to the ragout, the composition in general of which ham, bacon or crab use, as well as sheets of taro or gombos, a sticky vegetable of African origin - without forgetting spices. Colombo: it acts neither more nor less of the Indian curry, prepared with meat, poultry or fish.
Desserts

The fruits, mangos, papaws, guavas, pineapples but also, less known, carambolas in the star shape, corossol to the taste of cutter, quenettes pointing out the litchis and other custard apples are on all the markets. The tarts are delicious, in particular that with coconut. You will find moreover a whole range of delicious sorbets.
Drinks
Agricultural rum is the king of the islands. With a measurement of syrup of cane and a green piece of lemon peel, it becomes Ti-punch, hot favorite Inhabitants of Guadeloupe. It also enters the composition of a myriad of scented cocktails: grower, daïquiri or fucked colada. The fresh juices, sodas, the beer and the wines French are present on all the charts.

Purchases

The West-Indians are large amateurs of shopping and you will note that the shops of clothing or accessories are very well supplied. If you wish to bring back local memories, think of the splendid creole jewels, traditional fabrics (Madras), the embroideries of Old man-Extremely or of the pottery. Better is worth to avoid the carapaces and the objects in scale of tortoise, animal threatened of disappearance. In the culinary range, do not hesitate to make vanilla provisions, fresh or dries, and of spices in small sachets. Rum, young person or out-of-date were, are impossible to circumvent. Ultimate option, why not bring back a bouquet of more
beautiful flowers inhabitants of Guadeloupe? Some, like anthuriums, resist without problem the voyage by plane and will still last from two to three weeks after your return.

Practical information

Banks:
they are usually open Monday to Friday of 8 a.m. at midday and of 2 p.m. or 14. 30 to 16 h. the principal branches are to it also saturdays morning. In summer, the majority adopt a fixed hour, of 8 a.m. to 15 h.
Credit cards:
they are accepted a little everywhere, although certain hotel establishments and restaurants always refuse them. It is very easy to withdraw money with its Visa or its Mastercard in the slot-machines.
Climate:
the weather is nice and heat all the year. The rain season, with risk of cyclone, lasts roughly from August to October. The air is then saturated with moisture.
Time shift:
GMT (or YOU) - 4: when it is midday with Pointe-à-Pitre, it is 5 p.m. in Paris in winter and 18 H in summer.
Customs:
only the people residing out of the European Union can carry out purchases net of tax. If you bought material hi-fi or video with Saint Martin's day, you will have to discharge the customs duties on your arrival to the Guadeloupe or in your home country if you return directly.
Language:
everyone or almost speaks French. The Creole is employed in family and between friends.
Stores:
they generally open of 9 H with 13 H and 15 H with 6 p.m. in week. Supermarkets and department stores are also often open saturdays.
Currency:
the monetary unit is the Euro, as in metropolis. The parts and the tickets are the same ones.
Tips:
the use wants that one leaves approximately 10% to the waiter.
Health:
no the particular problem. Think however of protecting you from the sun, much stronger in the Tropics than in Europe. A product anti-mosquito can prove to be useful for the moment of the rains. Attention with the trees carrying a large red cross: it acts mancenilliers, with the very toxic sap. Prevent touching trunk and sheets and you do not shelter below if it rains. You would risk serious burns.