Fête des Cuisinières the 08 of August, 2009

This typically Guadeloupean event takes place in August, following the calendar and the date of the Patron Saint Laurent (martyr – he was burnt on a grill).

The cooks dressed in their most elegant dresses celebrate mass and then walk and dance through the streets of Pointe à Pitre.

Their baskets are full of local creole delicacies that have been blessed at the cathedral.

Everyone awaits the procession which is so festive and colourful.

The cooks dresses have pretty embroidered lace petticoats and an apron with a fish on the grill which is representative of Saint Laurent’s martyrdom.

Family friends and guests join the cooks at a festive banquet to the sounds of gwo-ka, biguine and mazurka.

The program:

- 10h: Mass at the Saint Peter and Saint Paul’s Cathedral
- 11h: The Procession in the streets
- 12h: Lunch and dancing to the sounds of beguine gwo-ka and mazurka

Contact:

Mrs FELIX Mérita, Presidente
+ 590 ( 0) 590 84 57 15

One island, two lands, and enough charm to go around

Philippe Papineau

Not easy for Guadeloupe - with all the ups and downs of today's global economy - to compete with all the "fast-food" sun destinations. Yet, in addition to having too many beaches to count, the French archipelago has a great many tools in its arsenal, starting with its rich landscapes and innate charm-a winning combination for someone who is keen on eco-tourism.

Can a territory barely even 1 700 square kilometres really have so many sides? A few days there are all it takes to uncover the shocking truth: All of Guadeloupe is not cast in the same mould. It is as luxuriant as it is bare; as steep as it is flat; as urban as it is rural.

The island is shaped like a butterfly with two very distinct wings separated by a thin stretch of water. On the Atlantic side, there is Grande-Terre's limestone plateau. On the side of the Caribbean Sea lies the more savage Basse-Terre, crowned by... a volcano. The differences are already apparent. Not to mention the Grand Cul-de-Sac marine natural reserve, a vast and rich lagoon ruled by mangroves and sprawled between the two pieces of land.

Grande-Terre

Let's click on the map's little + logo and zoom in on Grande-Terre. Without a doubt, the south side of this part of Guadeloupe is the most popular with tourists. There you'll find the capital, Pointe-à-Pitre, the gateway for tourists arriving by plane.

A place every vacationer must pass through? The charming coast is dotted with beaches from Gosier all the way to the other end at Pointe-à-Pitre. It's along this straight stretch of sand that you'll find the big hotels and all-inclusives. However, the neighbouring villages also have their share of attractions; and a trip to Pointe des Châteaux, at the east end of the island, is simply divine.

For example: Hop in the car and, only 15 minutes from Gosier, you'll come across Sainte-Anne and its local market-open seven days a week. There, like the rest of the island, you won't feel like the prey of merchants. Quite the opposite actually; friendly and easy-going conversations are the order of the day. "Y'a pas d'soucis (no worries)!" crow the Guadelopians. As for shopping, the abundance of fruit, local spices (Colombo powder, graines à roussir), jams, and flavoured rum would put a smile on any foodie's face.

The palm trees grow increasingly sparse on the road to Pointe des Châteaux. At the end of the road, the wind blows strong and the sea thrashes against the rocks. Violent? Yes, but terribly beautiful. To help you process it all, or just to beat the heat and humidity, a guava or coconut sorbet concocted by one of the vendors is the way to go!

There's more to see north of Grande-Terre, where the sugar cane industry has left its mark. We pass by a few windmills before ending our trip at the staggering cliffs of Pointe de la Grande Vigie, the northern most point of Guadeloupe-another spot where water violently meets rock.

And to think that you could just go for a spin along the island's scenic roads towards Basse-Terre and you'd eventually end up in another galaxy. Or even another universe. Discover the other Guadeloupe, that of lush flora and rugged topography...

Basse-Terre

Our beacon on Basse-Terre: the Soufrière volcano, still active and with its highest peak reaching close to 1 500 m. So if you've spared your calves up to now, best warm them up a bit, especially if you're planning to scale the volcano or venture into the national park.
           
Clouds often get snagged on the summit of the Soufrière, which explains why Guadeloupe's west wing is much wetter, and therefore better irrigated. You'll even find waterfalls - unthinkable on Grande-Terre -, some of which are very popular, like Écrevisses (crayfish) or Carbet falls. However, the local guides can point you to some stellar spots off the beaten path. The dazzling sight is worth the added effort.

Archipelagos and Colourful Lands

A simple drive down Guadeloupe's roads is all it takes to have tourists spellbound. The colours - often pastels - are striking and varied. Forget about monochrome houses: here, it's not unusual to spot a house with a red roof, blue walls, yellow shutters, and a purple door... and then something completely different the next house down! Murals and frescos are just as commonplace, but not as much so as advertisements, which literally overrun the roadways.

As if the main island wasn't already diverse enough, Guadeloupe invites tourists to visit its archipelago, the main destinations of which are Marie-Galante and Les Saintes. This last islet-overflowing with beauty and calm-is among the most beautiful bays in the world. A worker from the island told us that if Guadeloupe is paradise, then Les Saintes "is paradise's paradise."

Combining the laws and infrastructures of the French state with traditions and a certain ancestral live and let live system, Guadeloupe proves to be a rich, unique, and inviting island, where dipping your toes in the water is nice but shouldering a backpack is twice as nice!