What to see in Basse-Terre ?

Basse-Terre is a city many pass through without stopping, which is a mistake. The administrative capital of Guadeloupe, it turns its back on mass tourism to offer something rarer: a French colonial city still inhabited by its own people. Fort Delgrès, built in the seventeenth century, tells a complex story of colonisation and resistance that few guides bother to explain.

The best time to visit lies between January and April, before the rains and oppressive summer heat. Two days are enough to explore the city and reach the Guadeloupe national park, whose Soufrière is accessible by car from the centre. Don't limit your stay to the port area alone: the streets of the old quarter, higher up on the hillside, concentrate the city's essential character.