One Week in Guadeloupe: Grande-Terre to Basse-Terre
Spend a few days near the beaches of Grande-Terre, then swap the coast for the foothills of Basse-Terre. For a first trip to Guadeloupe, two bases are enough to see how much the landscape changes and still leave room for the things you didn’t plan
Grande Anse Beach in Deshaies is a place to slow down on Basse-Terre’s coast. · Tournasol7
As winter approaches, Guadeloupe is back on our travel wish list. For travellers in southeastern France, Corsair’s announced nonstop service from Marseille to Pointe-à-Pitre, due to start on December 15, is another reason to consider the destination. But once you’ve chosen your flights, the real question is where to stay to make the most of a week there.
It’s tempting to squeeze everything in: a beach in the south in the morning, a waterfall out west in the afternoon, then a neighbouring island the next day. For a first trip, I’d split the week between Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre, with just one change of accommodation.
Grande-Terre: Settle In Between Sainte-Anne and Saint-François
Start with a few nights on the coast of Grande-Terre. In Sainte-Anne, a swim, a stroll through the market and a long lunch make for a good day. If you’d rather base yourself in Saint-François, set aside half a day for Pointe des Châteaux. The scenery changes out there: the wind picks up, waves break against the rocks, and the walk feels like it takes you to the edge of the world.
Keep your first day light. After a long flight, there’s pleasure in simply settling in, finding somewhere good to eat and going back the next day because you felt so welcome. A week goes quickly enough without starting it by watching the clock.
Basse-Terre: From the Beaches of Deshaies to the Forest
The sea is still close when you cross over to Basse-Terre, but the mountains change the feel of the trip. The forest, the hills and the leeward coast invite you to slow down in a different way. Deshaies and Bouillante both make good bases, depending on whether you’d rather spend your time by the water, out on a boat or exploring on foot.
Keep a day flexible to explore inland. Conditions can differ considerably between the coast and the higher ground, so let the weather guide your plans. If it rains, an unhurried morning leaves time for a restaurant stop or a return to the beach later in the day.
That change of scenery is what makes splitting the week worthwhile. After the beaches and walks of Grande-Terre, a few nights on Basse-Terre let you discover another side of Guadeloupe without retracing the same route every evening.
Marie-Galante: Is It Worth Adding to the Itinerary?
If you have seven nights and Marie-Galante is the place you’re most excited about, make it a stop in its own right. Staying overnight lets you enjoy the island after the day-trippers have left. In that case, I’d shorten one of the two main stops to keep the itinerary manageable.
If you’d rather take your time on Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre, save Marie-Galante for another trip. My pick for a first week: three nights on Grande-Terre, four on Basse-Terre, and at least one day with nothing fixed in the diary. That’s often the day you remember best.
--------------------------------
