Port of call
Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe
Description — Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe
Pointe-à-Pitre is the largest city in the French West Indies and also the French department of Guadeloupe. The city covers an area of 2.66 sq. km. Population (1999 census): 28 360 residents. In the Pointe-à-Pitre urban agglomeration, more than 100,000 people live (a quarter of Guadeloupe’s population). The city is located on the island of Grande-Ter (Lesser Antilles, Leeward Islands) in the Caribbean Sea, 640 km from the South America coastline.
The year 1764 is considered the city’s founding date, when the French-who had regained this colony-built the city and began draining the swamps systematically. From that moment on, Pointe-à-Pitre began to develop as a port, largely thanks to pirate smuggling, but also through the export of sugarcane and fruits. Today, Pointe-à-Pitre is Guadeloupe’s main cargo and passenger port.
Guadeloupe consists of several islands, including two large ones, roughly equal in area, separated by the narrow Salt River strait. The western part-Basse-Terre-when translated from French means “low land.” However, despite this name, Basse-Terre is mountainous and made up of volcanic rock; the active Soufrière volcano (1467 m) is located there-the highest point in the Lesser Antilles. Grande-Ter, by contrast, is a plateau rising only up to 130 m, composed of limestone and volcanic tuffs. It is the lowest island compared to other parts of Guadeloupe. Elevations above sea level on Grande-Ter range from 30 to 135 meters. The shores of this island are surrounded by coral reefs.
Tourists arrive on the islands of Guadeloupe mainly for a beach holiday. Here you’ll find magnificent white-sand beaches washed by the emerald waters of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
ClimateGuadeloupe’s climate is tropical trade-wind. Even temperatures are typical (+24... +27 °C) and there is significant humidity (1500–2000 mm of precipitation per year). The rainy season lasts from July to November. Sometimes, tropical hurricanes strike the island during this time.
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Location on the map
Sights
What to see
Beaches
Guadeloupe is a paradise for beach lovers. Here you can find beaches with white (most beaches), black and golden sand. The average water temperature stays at around +26..+28°C all year round. Guadeloupe’s beaches are equipped with all the essentials for a relaxing holiday; there is a well-developed tourist infrastructure, and entertainment and transport facilities are available. Guadeloupe, moreover, has long been the region’s largest diving hub. About 30 dive clubs operate here, providing dives for visiting tourists in the area of coral reefs, as well as in places where, on the sea floor, dozens of sunken ships from different historical periods and eras rest.
Guadeloupe National Park
Guadeloupe National Park, located on the island of Basse-Terre, is one of the best-known French national parks. All the vegetation in the park is divided into three types of ecosystems: wet tropical forests, coastal forests, and mangroves. Among the plant life, special attention should be given to rare species of orchids, tree ferns, mahogany, as well as hevea. The animal life in the park is highly exotic. Here you can find raccoons, bats, mongooses, agoutis, frigatebirds, hummingbirds, pelicans, and other birds. The park’s main attractions are the majestic La Soufrière volcano and the breathtaking Corbet waterfalls cascades. The park is an international UNESCO biosphere reserve.
Aquarium
The Aquarium of Guadeloupe is located 5 kilometers east of Pointe-à-Pitre, in the small town of Gosier. It was created in 1985 and is the most visited museum on the island. Despite its relatively small size, it is the richest aquarium in terms of species diversity in the Antilles. Here you can see almost 80 species of fish and 50 species of corals. The aquarium offers exciting ecotours to the mangrove lagoons and coral reefs.
Recommended excursions
Excursion to Soufrière Volcano
On the island of Guadeloupe, the main attraction is the Soufrière volcano. La Soufrière (translated from French as “sulfur mine”) is an active volcano that erupted 8 times, starting in 1660. Relatively modest by geologists’ standards, the eruption in 1976-77 led to unfavorable economic consequences for the capital, Basse-Terre, which lies directly at the foot of the volcano-practically the entire city was evacuated. Barren black slopes of the volcano are dotted with hot springs, mud geysers, and fumaroles (sources of sulfurous gases). La Soufrière is the highest point in the Lesser Antilles. From the height of the volcanic massif, magnificent panoramic views of the sea and tropical forests open up (the mountain is located within the territory of the Guadeloupe National Park). But, unfortunately, the summit of La Soufrière is often shrouded in clouds.
For a more detailed list of excursions and their prices, you can check after booking your cruise in your “Client Personal Account”.
Cruises calling at this port
Civitavecchia, Italy, Genoa, Italy, Livorno, Italy, Marseille, Provence, France, Barcelona, Spain, At Sea, Tangier, Morocco, At Sea, At Sea, At Sea, At Sea, At Sea, At Sea, At Sea, St John S, Antigua and Barbuda, Philipsburg, St. Maarten, Basseterre, Saint Kitts, Nevis, At Sea, La Romana, Dominican Republic, Catalina Island, Dominican Rep, At Sea, Bridgetown, Barbados, Fort de France, Martinique, Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadalupe, Tortola/Road Town, VG, La Romana, Dominican Republic
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Genoa, Italy, Livorno, Italy, Marseille, Provence, France, Barcelona, Spain, At Sea, Tangier, Morocco, At Sea, At Sea, At Sea, At Sea, At Sea, At Sea, At Sea, St John S, Antigua and Barbuda, Philipsburg, St. Maarten, Basseterre, Saint Kitts, Nevis, At Sea, La Romana, Dominican Republic, Catalina Island, Dominican Rep, At Sea, Bridgetown, Barbados, Fort de France, Martinique, Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadalupe, Tortola/Road Town, VG, La Romana, Dominican Republic
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Hamburg, Germany, Ijmuiden, Holland, Dover, England, Гавр (Франция), Lisbon, Portugal, Seville (Cadiz), Spain, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain, Fort de France, Martinique, Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadalupe
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Hamburg, Germany, Ijmuiden, Holland, Dover, England, Гавр (Франция), Lisbon, Portugal, Seville (Cadiz), Spain, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain, Fort de France, Martinique, Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadalupe, Basseterre, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Sea of Antilles Darkest Spot, Антигуа (Ливардовские Острова), Antigua Bay, Tortola, Santo Domingo, Dom Rep
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Hamburg, Germany, Ijmuiden, Holland, Dover, England, Гавр (Франция), Lisbon, Portugal, Seville (Cadiz), Spain, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain, Fort de France, Martinique, Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadalupe, Basseterre, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Sea of Antilles Darkest Spot, Антигуа (Ливардовские Острова), Antigua Bay, Tortola, Santo Domingo, Dom Rep, Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadalupe
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Hamburg, Germany, Ijmuiden, Holland, Dover, England, Гавр (Франция), Lisbon, Portugal, Seville (Cadiz), Spain, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain, Fort de France, Martinique, Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadalupe, Basseterre, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Sea of Antilles Darkest Spot, Антигуа (Ливардовские Острова), Antigua Bay, Tortola, Santo Domingo, Dom Rep, Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadalupe, Fort de France, Martinique
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Гавр (Франция), Lisbon, Portugal, Seville (Cadiz), Spain, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain, Fort de France, Martinique, Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadalupe
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Гавр (Франция), Lisbon, Portugal, Seville (Cadiz), Spain, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Spain, Fort de France, Martinique, Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadalupe, Basseterre, Saint Kitts, Nevis, Sea of Antilles Darkest Spot, Антигуа (Ливардовские Острова), Antigua Bay, Tortola, Santo Domingo, Dom Rep, Pointe-A-Pitre, Guadalupe, Fort de France, Martinique
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