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Top Things To See
Place de la Victoire
Allow time to explore Pointe-à-Pitre, the commercial capital of Guadeloupe, on Grande-Terre. A guillotine stood in the Place de la Victoire during the French Revolution and more than 850 people lost their heads. Today it is surrounded by a busy market. Schoelcher Museum The museum is in Pointe-à-Pitre and dedicated to Victor Schoelcher, the man accredited with helping to abolish slavery in the Caribbean. The Museum St John Perse, in a 19th-century colonial house, is dedicated to the islands' poet laureate Alexis Saint-Léger. Hindu temple A lot of Indian workers came to Guadeloupe in the 19th century, hence the Hindu temple at St Marie. The bright wight walls contrast with the colourfully painted sculptures of Hindu gods. It may be possible to see religious ceremonies taking place. Rock carvings At the Parc Archeologique des Roches Graves, near Trois Rivières on Basse-Terre, you can see some of the earliest evidence of man in the Caribbean. Rock carvings made by the Arawak Indians, including the head of a Carib chief, are believed to date back to AD300-400. French fort Fort Louis Delgrès, in the town of Basse-Terre, situated at the foot of La Soufrière, was built in 1605 and is now restored and converted into an historical museum. While in Basse-Terre, don't miss the 19th-century cathedral and market place. Galion waterfalls Hike to the Galion waterfalls - follow the route to La Soufrière from Saint Claude until the Bains Jaunes, where the trail leads downwards through the rainforest. It will take about 90 minutes to reach the falls, which drop about 40m (131ft). See Contact Addresses for further tourist information. |
