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EXCURSION #1 The North of Basse-Terre |
Points of Interest : Waterfalls, tropical forest, beaches, distilleries, sugar cane fields.
Itinerary : Pointe-à-Pitre, Saut de La lézarde, Vernou, Route de la Traversée, Mahault, Pointe-Noire, Deshaies, Sainte-Rose, Lamentin, Baie-Mahault, Pointe-à-Pitre.
Closed by:
* Hotel La Sucrerie du Comté
* Les Villas Aquarelles
The First Waterfall
Once you have left Pointe-à-Pitre over the bypass towards Basse-Terre, and have crossed the Rivière Salée over the Gabare bridge, take N1 to the télévision relay station, then take D23 to the "Deux Mamelles" pass. Take D1 in the direction of Vernou, Stopping off for a stroll in the fresh morning air (20 minutes) until you reach "La Saut de La Lézarde", a 50 ft. high waterfall with bassin.
Discovering the National Park of Guadeloupe
Start off over the "Deux Mamelles" pass or along the route "de la Traversée" (D23) The vegetation becomes thicker and different varieties of plants appear such as the spectacular tree ferns: you'll enter into the wonderful tropical forest of the National Park of Guadeloupe, declared a Reserve of the Biosphere by UNESCO. More than 300 different species of trees can be found here, with the most spectacular being the acomat boucan, the chestnut tree, the white gum tree and the courbaril. Over 270 varieties of ferns and 90 orchids have been cited and the fauna is abundant as well, with 38 different species of bird. The "Black Woodpecker" is one of them and lives only in Guadeloupe,17 species of mammals live in the park with the celebrated raccoon or "Raton laveur" and hundreds of insects. The "Scieur de Long" lives in the forest and can grow to be 7 inches long!
Two stops are mandatory : "La Cascade aux Ecrevisses" (Crayfish Falls) for a refreshing rest stop, and "La Maison de la forêt" (the House of the Forest) where you can find some useful information and relax (playground, drinks, souvenirs...)
The Carib Indians called Guadeloupe "the Island of Beautiful Water" because of the waterfalls, basins, ponds, and rivers found here. (Bras-David, Corossol, Rivière aux Ecrevisses. . .) The trail that you follow is the starting point for several hikes. The paths are well-marked by the National Park Service. The most classic hikes consist of climbing the "Morne-à-Louis" to the summit where you will discover a magnificent panorama, or climb one of the two "Mamelles" (30 minutes to 1 hour)
Encounter with a Raccoon
On the route leading to the Côte-sous-Le-Vent, take time to visit the Zoological Park to meet the "Raton laveur" or raccon, among other residents of the park such as the mongoose, the wood pigeon, and
the Molocoi tortoise. Depending on the season, you can stroll under the wonderful vaulted roof, crimson with ftowering flamboyants.
From Mahaut to Deshaies
You have reached the North of "La Côte-sous-Ie-Vent" upon arriving in Malhaut. With Bouillante on your left, take N2 and wind through the hills overlooking the Caribbean Sea as you head towards Pointe-Noire, a city proud of its woodcarving traditions.
On entering the city you will find "La Maison du Bois" (on D17), under the authority of the Natjonal Park. There you will find aIl the traditional ways wood is fashioned and used in Guadeloupe: carpentry, toys, tools, furniture, and musical instruments. Nearby, you can visit the ouassous hatchery by appointment, succulent shrimp which make up almost all of the aquaculture on the island. "le Parc des Orchidées" at Trou-Caverne-Gommier and the "Maison du Cacao" in Grande-Plaine are also worth a visit.
Starting a Collection of Beaches
After striding across the Baille-Argent river, there is an abrupt drop as you descend towards Deshaies. Nestled along a superb harbor, this village has a lot of character and is a favorite spot for deep-sea fishing and scuba diving in Guadeloupe. As you descend towards the village, you will notice a little road on the left which leads to Pointe Deshaies or Pointe Batterie where cannons defended the village and the harbor in the past. After visiting the village, relax on Grande-Anse beach, a long strip of golden sand licked by the Caribbean Sea If you are lucky you may be able to see the famous "green ray". The beaches succeed one another until Sainte-Rose. Among them is Clugny Beach which offers a magnificent view of the Kahouanne and La Tête-à-l’Anglais Islets. The terrain is less rugged now, with sugar cane fields replacing the wild vegetation little by little.
Healing Thermal Springs
From Sainte-Rose, climb to Sofaïa (D19) where sulfurous thermal springs with medicinal properties await you in a manmade basin. If the history of sugar can and rum interests you, visit the Musée du rhum on the route to Lamentin (N2) and the Séverin Estate distillery in La Boucan to learn how rum is made in a grandiose setting.
Pass by La Grande Rivière in Goyave and stop off at Lamentin. Visit Karuptures (an outdoor sculpture garden), La Maison de l'Esclavage et des Droits de l'Homme (The House of Slavery and Human Rights), the Montalégre Gardens and the Ravine Chaude Thermal Spa, reputed for its healing properties for the skin and powers of relaxation, so enjoyable after a long walk in the forest !
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