Terre-de-Haut Island

Terre-de-Haut Island is an island of France located in the Atlantic Ocean and part of the Les Saintes archipelago ( The Islands of the Saints -French: Iles des Saintes –  or also simply called Los Santos are a group of islands located in the Caribbean Sea that belong to the French overseas department of Guadalupe ) The archipelago of Les Saintes belongs to the Guadeloupe FWI French West Indies. . It is part of the commune of Terre-de-Haut. Terre-de-Haut is the easternmost island of the Les Saintes archipelago.

The islands were called “Isla de Los Santos”of the navigator Christopher Columbus since he arrived there on All Saints’ Day in 1493, the first French colonizers arriving in 1648, the latter disputed their control with the British, because the islands were of military importance, and their strategic position. On August 15, 1666, the French fleet emerged victorious against the English. Since then it has become a day of commemoration in the islands. On April 12, 1782, the English seized the islands in the battle of the Saints. These remained in their power until 1816 when they fall under the definitive French control.

Administratively it is divided into two communes: Terre-de-Bas and Terre-de-Haut The island lives mainly from fishing and tourism. Its fishermen are recognized throughout the Caribbean as being among the best.
Located 15 km southeast of Basse-Terre, seven islands form the archipelago of Saintes, only two are inhabited: Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas. Baie des Saintes is considered one of the most beautiful bay in the world. Its development, the island owes mainly to fishing and also to its colonization, post-slavery.
Terre-de-Haut ranked 3rd favorite village of the French 2019 : Terre-de-Haut came third in the ranking of the favorite French Village 2019, a program presented by Stephane Bern on France 3 tv.
For this 8th edition of the discovery program of new villages, the municipality of Saintes distinguished among the fourteen communes selected  for their heritage, gastronomy, and crafts.

Access : Coordinates: 15.8625, -61.583333 / The Saintes are accessible by plane, boat, helicopter./ By cruise ships : Many cruise ships (Mediterranean Club, Costa, Ponant, Royal Clipper, etc.) come here.
By plane : Air Guadeloupe, today, is the airline of the Antilles, serving daily more than 120 flights to many destinations from Paris and the Caribbean.
The airfield of Terre de Haut offers Regional air traffic from Pointe-a-Pitre and Basse-Terre to Bourg des Saintes, Terre-de-Haut, IATA Code – LSS, ICAO Code – TFFS. The flight time from Basse-Terre is 15 minutes. Currently, Air Caraibes scheduled flights are only on weekends from Friday to Sunday.
By boat :
There are several daily connections between the islands of Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas by the shipping company Brudey Freres. The journey time is 15 minutes, the fare for the one-way trip € 4 for outward and return € 6.
On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the shipping company Brudey Freres de Terre-de-Haut travels to the town of Basse-Terre.

Get around : Walking, bicycles, scooters, electric cars and carts are the best ways o go around on the Saintes.

Attractions :

• Jardin exotique du Fort Napoleon, the gardens of Fort Napoleon , is a botanical garden specializing in succulent plants or crass. It is located on the grounds of Fort Napoleon (Fort Napoleon) at 120 m altitude above the island of Terrede Haut, in the archipelago of Les Saintes, Guadalupe and is open every day.
• Fort Napoleon des Saintes – Napoleon Fort, ( 15.875, -61.5825 ) Built on the Morne called Mire, it was originally called Fort Louis. It was destroyed by British forces in 1809. It was rebuilt in 1867, and named in honor of Napoleon III, but was never used in battle, and instead was used as a penitentiary. Now it has become a museum dedicated to the history, culture and environment Les Saintes. It also contains the Exotic Garden of Fort Napoleon (Jardin exotique du Fort Napoleon), a botanical garden dedicated to succulent plants and local iguanas. The erea offers exceptional panoramic view of the Baie des Saintes.
• The beaches: Crawen, Sugar Loaf, Galet Cove, Fond-du-Cure, Petite-Anse, Mire Cove, Marigot Bay, Pompierre, Grande-Anse, Rodrigue, Fig Tree.
• Baie des Saintes , ( 15.869444, -61.588889 )The Baie des Saintes is a bay on the northwest coast of the island of Terre-de-Haut ,The Bay ranked 3rd worldwide by the club of the most beautiful bays in the world
• Le Chameau , ( 15 ° 51 ’30 “North, 61 ° 35′ 45” West) The Camel is a dull peak at 304 m on the island of Terre-de-Haut, in the Saintes archipelago,At the top, from which one enjoys a panorama on the archipelago, was built in 1843 a tower-model type 1811 intended for the watch
• Le Pain de Sucre , The Sugar Loaf , The Sugar Loaf is a volcanic hill culminating at 53 meters, whose steep slopes plunge into the Bay of Saintes. The vertical walls of the Sugar Loaf, like basaltic organs, are a tourist attraction1.The Sugar Loaf is a natural site classified under the law of May 2, 19302.
• Fort Josephine, islet at Cabrit ( 15.875, -61.594444 ) – Little Martinique , In 1777, France built there, at the summit of the morne of the Pointe de Sable, a fortification named Fort de la Reine before being renamed Fort Josephine. It formed then a defensive system with the strong Napoleon and the battery of Red Head.By its presence, the Islet at Cabrit delimits two passes, the Whale Pass to the east and the Sugarloaf Pass to the south, which are the two access routes to the Port of Terre-de-Haut.
• Port des Saintes Lighthouse , It is a small square tower painted white, located in front of the pier.He tags the cove of the Bourg, landing stage of Terre-de-Haut.
• Grand Ilet Nature Reserve.The Grand Ilet is a small uninhabited island in the Saintes archipelago, in the French West Indies. It is administratively attached to the municipality of Terre-de-Haut.The island is frequented by marine turtles, who come to breed, but it is the particular kingdom of seabirds,On this land nest Super Frigate (Fregata magnificens), brown or masked boobies, terns, Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus), brown pelicans “Great throats” (Pelecanus occidentalis), petrels, red-footed boobies (Sula sula) and boobies. blue feet (Sula nebouxii)
  , The xerophilous type forest, like all the islands of the Saintes archipelago, is also protected, particularly the endangered species of wild cherry trees. .Since 19942, the islet is the property of the conservatory of the coast and lake shores and is under the protection of the institution.
• The French navy cemetery of Terre-de-Haut / The square of the Governor Lion or square of the port, with its colored houses./ Notre Dame de l’Assomption’s church / The organs pipes of basalt of Pain de sucre /
  The chapel of the Calvary / The Bateau des iles ,the house in the shape of bow of a ship
• Terre de Bas erea : Ruins of the Pottery of Grand-Baie. / Saint-Nicolas Church. / Watchtower and ponds of the Abymes Hill. / Diving spot of Sec Pate. / Picturesque neighbourhood of Mapou.
• The village of Terre-de-Haut is composed in the center of the town hall and a small shady square. A few steps away, the country church is built of volcanic rock.
• Gastronomy is also a major tourist asset. Indeed, the local cuisine is highly appreciated for the originality and the good flavor of the Creole cuisine dishes.
• Scuba diving in Terre-de-Haut : One of the most popular and favorite dive sites off Terre-de-Haut is Le Sec Pate, with its remarkable underwater pinnacles and fields of sea fans, sponges and the amazing black corals.  Terre-de-Haut is listed among the best diving destinations of Guadeloupe. The dive sites off Terre-de-Haut feature shallow reefs, underwater caves, ship and aircraft wrecks, canyons, slopes and drop-offs with outstanding underwater flora and fauna.

Activities : Hiking: The Caroline battery trail , The trail of ridges / Diving / Discover the magnificent underwater world in snorkeling or diving / beach hopping : Pompierre beach, Anse du Pain-de-Sucre, Anse du Figuier, Anse Crawen, Grande-Anse /
Other legacies of troubled past are still visible on the main island, old batteries that can be included in hiking routes./ Discover where Creole culture and traditions are maintained / surfing

Go next : The nearby islands: Marie-Galante / La Desirade / Marie-Galante / La Dominique / la Martinique