Bourg, Terre de Haut, Iles Les Saintes, Guadeloupe
The French Caribbean has a distinctive quality as it seems that we have been magically transported to the south of France. The island has a distinctive Mediterranean feel and, of course, the language is exclusively French and the currency the Euro. It is a very different feeling than the English Islands we have been visiting up until this point. There were wonderful waterfront cafes and handicraft shops all along the waterfront. An excellent opportunity to do a little last minute Christmas shopping!!
In the morning we took the opportunity to swim and snorkel off sugarloaf rock to the south of the town. The area afforded us the opportunity to see dozens of classic tropical fishes and to enjoy the warm Caribbean Sea. It was great to get a quick dip in the water with some awesome snorkeling before shuttling by Zodiac to the town.
Many of us took the time to visit Fort Napoleon which sits on the promontory above the town. While most took taxis to the top, some of us hardier souls walked up the steep road. At Fort Napoleon, there were grand views of the neighboring Islands, including Guadalupe and a fantastic picture of Sea Cloud II sitting in the bay. The site offers a lovely garden of succulent plants and some of us sighted an Iguana or two.
There is a museum at the fort that is one of the best in the Caribbean. It highlights the rich naval history of the area and tells the story of an important naval battle, The Battle of the Saintes, fought between the British and the French in 1782.
Although the French lost the sea battle, they kept Guadeloupe and her small neighboring islands, which is why we were able to visit France today. It was remarkable to get a small glimpse into the culture of the French Caribbean. We then settled back onboard the Sea Cloud II to enjoy a restful Christmas Eve, anticipating our Christmas Day visit to Anguilla, a British protectorate.
The French Caribbean has a distinctive quality as it seems that we have been magically transported to the south of France. The island has a distinctive Mediterranean feel and, of course, the language is exclusively French and the currency the Euro. It is a very different feeling than the English Islands we have been visiting up until this point. There were wonderful waterfront cafes and handicraft shops all along the waterfront. An excellent opportunity to do a little last minute Christmas shopping!!
In the morning we took the opportunity to swim and snorkel off sugarloaf rock to the south of the town. The area afforded us the opportunity to see dozens of classic tropical fishes and to enjoy the warm Caribbean Sea. It was great to get a quick dip in the water with some awesome snorkeling before shuttling by Zodiac to the town.
Many of us took the time to visit Fort Napoleon which sits on the promontory above the town. While most took taxis to the top, some of us hardier souls walked up the steep road. At Fort Napoleon, there were grand views of the neighboring Islands, including Guadalupe and a fantastic picture of Sea Cloud II sitting in the bay. The site offers a lovely garden of succulent plants and some of us sighted an Iguana or two.
There is a museum at the fort that is one of the best in the Caribbean. It highlights the rich naval history of the area and tells the story of an important naval battle, The Battle of the Saintes, fought between the British and the French in 1782.
Although the French lost the sea battle, they kept Guadeloupe and her small neighboring islands, which is why we were able to visit France today. It was remarkable to get a small glimpse into the culture of the French Caribbean. We then settled back onboard the Sea Cloud II to enjoy a restful Christmas Eve, anticipating our Christmas Day visit to Anguilla, a British protectorate.
