What to see, what to do Guadeloupe?

In the West Indies, it's customary to get up early, with the sun, and start your working day (especially in construction) before the sun's rays become too strong.

In the cities of Pointe-à-Pitre and Basse-Terre, shops are closed on Saturdays from around 1pm, and also on Sundays.

During Easter, the beaches are literally taken over by campers. It's a local tradition for Guadeloupeans to get together with their families all along the coast, but also on the river banks. Campsites are "booked" up to 2 or 3 weeks in advance, in order to secure the best spot. For the Easter weekend, everyone arrives fully equipped (fridge, TV, radio, barbecue, tent, tarpaulin, generators, etc.). If you're looking for serenity, don't plan a day of idleness.

In addition to the eleven public holidays in France, Guadeloupe has nine non-working days: Lundi et Mardi Gras, Wednesday des Cendres, Thursday de la Mi-Carême, Good Friday, Saturday Gloria, May 27, July 21 and November 2, when administrations, schools and banks are closed. May 27 is the anniversary of the abolition of slavery in Guadeloupe: many shops are only open in the morning.

The archipelago offers a particularly wide range of museums. Many establishments don't allow you to book in advance.

Heritage Days: if you're in the archipelago on the date of this annual event, you'll have the chance to visit sites that are normally closed to the public (the Maison Schwarz-Bart, for example). These visits must be booked via the Heritage Days website.

European Architecture Days: these take place over a weekend in October (dates not yet defined). They showcase the architectural sector and all its component trades to the general public, with tours of public and private buildings, conferences and workshops.

www.ekonomiz-guadeloupe.com: this leisure guide entitles you to free discounts at over 70 local businesses. All you have to do is present the coupon on the EKONOMIZ mobile app, or present the paper page of this guide, which is distributed locally in tourist offices and hotels, among others.

The Pass Caraïbes entitles you to a €10 discount on visits to 4 parks: the Guadeloupe Zoo, the Habitation Côte-Sous-le-Vent, the Jardin de Valombreuse and the Musée du Café.

Alternatively, you can buy a ticket for one of these establishments individually online and get a one-euro discount on the entrance fee.

The Express des îles shipping company offers very attractive crossing fares to Marie-Galante, provided you travel on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Group purchasing sites (www.shopping-97.com ; http://dealsdesiles.com ...) offer particularly attractive rates in all areas (accommodation, catering, leisure, beauty, well-being ...).

The Guadeloupe archipelago is punctuated by events, some of which have an international reputation (non-exhaustive list):

Carnival, a must in Guadeloupe, doesn't start here on Shrove Tuesday, but much earlier. It begins on the first Sunday in January (Epiphany Day) and ends on Ash Wednesday (Brûlé Vaval Day). Parades are organized in many communes, the main ones being Basse-Terre, Pointe-à-Pitre, Bouillante and Saint-François.

The Nuits Caraïbes classical music festival in February. Concerts are held in prestigious venues (www.nuits-caraibes.com)

The Easter festival features picnics on all the archipelago's beaches and riverbanks.

The Morne-à-l'Eaucrab festival takes place during Easter.

The Gwo Ka Festival takes place in Sainte-Anne in mid-July.

The All Day In Music Festival takes place at the end of July. A Caribbean music festival with artists and DJs, very popular with young people.

The Tour Cycliste International de la Guadeloupe is one of the most popular events on the island. The ^74th edition will be held in early August 2024, with stages in numerous communes.

The Mini-Transat (https://minitransat.fr/). Single-handed, unassisted start from Les Sables-d'Olonne. Heading for Saint-François (Guadeloupe) via Santa Cruz de la Palma (Canaries - Spain), 7,500 km aboard 6.50 m sailing boats (mini class). The race starts every two years in September.

november¹ and 2: the cemeteries are illuminated by thousands of candles placed on the graves, which are cleaned and repainted for the occasion. The most impressive is the Morne-à-l'eau cemetery, with its black-and-white chequered staircase of vaults. Families gather around the final resting place of their loved ones in a convivial atmosphere. November 2 (Day of the Dead) is a public holiday in Guadeloupe.

The Route du Rhum takes place every 4 years (www.routedurhum.com/fr). The next start will be in November 2026.

The "chanté Nwel" festival starts at the end of November. Traditional Christmas carols are sung at gatherings in neighborhoods, churches, etc. Traditional Christmas dishes include Christmas ham with dog sauce, pig stew, Creole pâtés and boudins, redcurrant syrup, yams, peas, shrubb (spices and orange peel soaked in rum)...

Take an eco-friendly guided tour of Pointe-à-Pitre by electric tuk-tuk , rickshaw or on foot. Your guide will take you to Place de la Victoire, where the prefecture is located, to discover traditional Creole houses, flower and spice markets..

Take a walkingtour of Pointe-à-Pitre and Basse-Terre , accompanied by a tour guide, to discover the city's history and architecture.

Visit the mangrove swamps on ATVs (small pedal-powered catamarans) with an enthusiastic naturalist guide.

Take an oxcart ride in Marie-Galante or Le Moule.

Hirea cab specialized in tailor-made tours. The tour is organized to suit your tastes.

Here, "bonjour" (or "bonsoir" from 3pm) is de rigueur, as soon as you enter a building or approach a stall. The same goes for "thank you". The local population is very attentive to these polite gestures. It's a good way to get things off to a good start.

You'll find that some expressions are used very frequently, such as "Do this for me"; "See you tomorrow, God willing"..

All visitors, even those on vacation, are asked to dress appropriately in all shops, and not to enter in a bathing suit or without a T-shirt for men, failing which they will be refused entry by security.

The practice of toplessness is not very widespread on Guadeloupean beaches, as it is frowned upon. You'd be better off on the secluded Tarare beach in Saint-François, dedicated to naturism.