MUSÉE D’HISTOIRE DES SAINTES – FORT NAPOLÉON

Fort Napoléon stands 114 meters above sea level, overlooking the Baie des Saintes at the summit of Morne Mire. It takes about 20 minutes on foot to reach it from the pier. The fortress is fairly well restored, surrounded by an empty moat. The Vauban-style Fort Napoléon, listed as a Monument Historique in 1997, presents the history of Les Saintes and the 1782 battle between the French and English. During the Second World War, under the Vichy regime, the Fort was used as a prison. It was only in 1973 that Fort Napoléon was transformed into a museum by the Association Saintoise de Protection du Patrimoine. Inside, under the vaulted ceilings of the large halls, you'll find battle reconstructions, navigation techniques, the history of colonization, the evolution of the island's botanical species... Another local specialty: the salako. A large palm hat worn by soldiers based in Tonkin. According to various sources, this accessory originated in Vietnam or the Philippines.

In the garden, the arrangement and choice of plants testify to a real artistic sense: candle cacti, English heads, melocactus, three o'clock brooms, soaps, dog-crooks, snowshoes. Their ability to adapt to a tropical environment and to store water in their roots explain this plant presence on the ground. You may also spot a few iguanas on the embankments, which are easy to approach.