Caribbean à la Française
Sun, carnival, rum, and sandy beaches: the description instantly evokes the Caribbean. Throw in a couple of baguettes, a café au lait, and a bottle of vin rouge, and what do you get? Guadeloupe. A French overseas department, Guadeloupe is located in the heart of the Lesser Antilles, representing an addictive blend of French and Creole culture. A French colony until 1946, Guadeloupe is today fully represented as a French département, giving its citizens French passports, French education, and even French postal service; for those easily seduced by French culture, the island is a little taste of France smack dab in the tropics. Despite its official ties, Guadeloupe is also strongly representative of Caribbean society, with plenty of bright colors, spicy food, and a joie de vivre only possible in tropical climates. Locally referred to as "l'île papillon," the "butterfly island," Guadeloupe is made of Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre, two large land masses connected by a narrow isthmus. Stretches of white beach and clear blue water cover the topographically flatter Grande-Terre, making it a paradise for sailing, surfing, and beachcombing. The more adventurous head to Basse-Terre, home to La Grande Soufrière, an active volcano surrounded by luscious tropical jungle vegetation with plenty of numerous hiking trails. With its well-known Jean-Jacques Cousteau Natural Reserve, Basse-Terre also attracts divers seeking to get up close and personal with the local marine life.
