Pointe-a-Pitre: what to see, where to stay and how to get around
Pointe-à-Pitre grew as the sugar port of Guadeloupe, and most of its story is the story of that sugar and the people forced to grow it. Everything on this walk lies within a kilometre of the harbour, so it fits neatly into the hours before boarding or after the ship comes in. Allow about three hours with the two museums, start early because the heat builds fast, and keep to the busy streets — downtown empties once the shops close.
A short history of Pointe-a-Pitre
Pointe-à-Pitre grew up in the 1760s, while the British held Guadeloupe, around a natural harbour in a sheltered bay, and it has been the island's economic centre ever since. In 1843 it was destroyed by an earthquake, followed by a fire. The town's economy depended on sugar, grown on plantations with slave labour until slavery was abolished in the French colonies in 1848. In 2015 the Mémorial ACTe, a centre commemorating slavery and the slave trade, was inaugurated here, built on the site of a sugar factory.
The ten best sights in Pointe-a-Pitre
-
1Mémorial ACTe
The Caribbean memorial of the slave trade; the building alone, silver mesh over black granite, is worth the walk
-
2Musée Schoelcher
Small museum named for the man who wrote France's 1848 abolition decree; an hour is enough
-
3Musée Saint-John Perse
The Nobel poet was born in this town; the museum sits in a pretty iron-balconied colonial house
-
4Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul
Look at the iron columns and ribs inside: a frame meant to ride out earthquakes and hurricanes
5Fort Fleur d'Épée18th-century fort on a hill just past the marina; free, shady, and a wide view of the bay
6Musée Edgar ClercAmerindian finds from before Columbus, near Le Moule; check opening days before driving
7Morne-à-l'Eau CemeteryTombs tiled in black-and-white checks climb the hill; on All Saints' night it glows with candles
8Damoiseau DistilleryRum distillery with a windmill tower near Le Moule; tastings are small, and the driver should just sip
-
9Place de la Victoire
The town's living room under big old trees, between the harbour and the shops; start every walk here
10Aquarium de la GuadeloupeAt the Bas-du-Fort marina, 5 minutes by car; a rainy-day plan with children
Scan with your phone camera to open the map there
What is an audio walk?
Tours in Pointe-a-Pitre →A guide in your headphones: open the walk on our site, walk from stop to stop, and at each one your phone tells its story. No guide, no group, and free. This is the first walk in Pointe-a-Pitre:
Free walking tours in Pointe-a-Pitre
Sugar, iron and freedom
Pointe-à-Pitre grew as the sugar port of Guadeloupe, and most of its story is the story of that sugar and the people forced to grow it. Everything on this walk lies within a kilometre of the harbour, so it fits neatly into the hours before boarding or after the ship comes in. Allow about three hours with the two museums, start early because the heat builds fast, and keep to the busy streets — downtown empties once the shops close.
- Place de la Victoire · The square takes its name from 1794, when French forces under Victor Hugues retook the town from the British, who had captured Guadeloupe earlier that year.
- Spice Market (Marché central couvert) · The colombo powder sold here came with the indentured workers from India who were brought to Guadeloupe from 1854, after slavery ended, to work the cane fields; colombo is now treated as a national dish.
- Musée Saint-John Perse · Saint-John Perse was the pen name of Alexis Leger, born in Pointe-à-Pitre in 1887, a French diplomat who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1960.
- Musée Schoelcher · Victor Schoelcher drafted the decree of 27 April 1848 that abolished slavery in the French colonies; he gave his collections to Guadeloupe, and they became this museum.
- Cathedral of Saint Peter and Saint Paul · An earthquake in February 1843 flattened most of Pointe-à-Pitre, and the town was rebuilt with an eye on the next one; the church's metal frame is why locals call it the iron cathedral.
- Mémorial ACTe · It opened in 2015 on the site of the Darboussier sugar factory, once the largest on the island, so the memorial to slavery stands where the cane was crushed.
Along the south coast to the end of the island
East of town, Grande-Terre is flat limestone ringed with white beaches, and one road follows the south coast almost to its tip. This day starts with a fort and an aquarium a few minutes from the cruise quay and ends 40 km later on Atlantic cliffs. Plan a full day by car with swimming stops; the road is slow through Le Gosier and Sainte-Anne at weekends. Bring cash for beach snacks and reef shoes for the lagoons.
- Fort Fleur d'Épée · In 1794 the fort changed hands between British and French troops during the fight for Guadeloupe; today its moats and vaulted rooms are free to wander.
- Aquarium de la Guadeloupe · It sits on the Bas-du-Fort marina, and its tanks show the reef fish and turtles you may meet snorkelling later in the day.
- Îlet du Gosier · The islet's lighthouse marks the approach to the bay of Pointe-à-Pitre, and the crossing from the Le Gosier pontoon takes only a few minutes.
- Bois Jolan Beach · An offshore reef breaks the swell, leaving a lagoon so shallow that adults can walk a long way out with the water at their knees.
- Saint-François · The town has its own small airfield, from which light planes fly to the outer islands; the marina is where the lunch places are.
- Pointe des Châteaux · The Atlantic has carved the limestone into ragged towers that gave the cape its name, the castles; from the cross on the hill you can see the island of La Désirade.
Across the rainforest
Pointe-à-Pitre sits right at the joint of Guadeloupe's two wings: Grande-Terre to the east, and the mountainous Basse-Terre across the narrow Rivière Salée to the west. The Route de la Traversée climbs over Basse-Terre through the national park, past waterfalls and the zoo, and drops to the Caribbean coast. Leave by eight; rain is likely in the forest even when the town is dry, so keep a light jacket. Return by the north coast via Sainte-Rose for a loop of about 120 km.
- Cascade aux Écrevisses · The fall is on the Corossol river, and its name means crayfish waterfall, after the freshwater crayfish that live in the pools.
- Maison de la Forêt · This is a visitor point of the Guadeloupe National Park, created in 1989, which covers most of the mountains of Basse-Terre; short marked loops start beside it.
- Zoo at Parc des Mamelles · The park is named after the two rounded peaks above the pass, and its star is the Guadeloupe raccoon, the animal chosen as the symbol of the national park.
- Jardin botanique de Deshaies · The garden was once the property of the French comedian Coluche; today it is planted with palms, orchids and a pond of giant water lilies.
- Grande Anse Beach, Deshaies · It is one of the longest beaches in Guadeloupe, and the land behind it is kept free of hotels, so the palms run right down to the sand.
- Distillerie Reimonenq (Musée du Rhum) · Guadeloupe's rhum agricole is distilled from fresh cane juice rather than molasses, and the museum walks you through the presses and stills of that process.
Getting to Pointe-a-Pitre and getting around
- Guadeloupe Airport - Maryse Condé · The island's airport at Le Raizet, about 10 minutes north of town; the car-hire desks are here
- Cruise Terminal (Quai Foulon) · Cruise departure port: ships berth on the west edge of downtown, about 600 m from Place de la Victoire — 10 minutes on foot along the quays, or a short taxi with luggage; from the airport about 15 minutes by taxi
- Bergevin Ferry Terminal · Fast ferries to Marie-Galante and Les Saintes leave from here, a day trip if the ship sails late
Cheap eats in Pointe-a-Pitre
Guadeloupe eats on the street: the bokit, a round of fried dough split and stuffed with saltfish, chicken or cheese, is the island's sandwich, and accras, crisp fritters of salt cod and herbs, come in paper bags from market stalls. Colombo, a curry brought by Indian workers, is the everyday lunch. Prices are in euros and lower at the Darse than in the cafés of the square.
- Bik a Sandwich · A bokit with saltfish or chicken, about 5-7 €
- Marché de la Darse · A paper bag of accras, about 3-5 €; fresh fruit by the euro
- Spice Market stalls · A bottle of fresh cane juice about 3 €, a bag of colombo powder about 4-5 €
- Tropical Gelato · A scoop of coconut or soursop, about 3 €
- Café de France · An espresso about 2 €, a croissant about 1.50 €
- Snack Bar Art · Plate of the day with rice and red beans, about 10-12 €
Museums in Pointe-a-Pitre
- Mémorial ACTe · Plan two hours; audio guides help, captions are mostly in French
- Musée Schoelcher · Small and quiet; an hour downtown
- Musée Saint-John Perse · The house is as interesting as the poet; a short visit
- Musée Edgar Clerc · Pre-Columbian Kalinago and Arawak finds, 30 minutes east
- Distillerie Reimonenq (Musée du Rhum) · Old presses and stills on the Sainte-Rose road
Nature and day trips near Pointe-a-Pitre
- Pointe des Châteaux · Come early or at sunset; the path to the cross takes 15 minutes
- Chutes du Carbet · Check the national park's notice for which falls are open
- Cascade aux Écrevisses · Ten minutes from the road; swim in the pool if the water is low
- Îlet du Gosier · Snorkel round the islet; boats from the Le Gosier pontoon
- Porte d'Enfer · Swim only inside the lagoon, never past the mouth
Things to do in Pointe-a-Pitre with kids
- Zoo at Parc des Mamelles · Allow two hours; the rope walk has a minimum height
- Aquarium de la Guadeloupe · Five minutes from the cruise quay; air-conditioned on hot afternoons
- Bois Jolan Beach · Knee-deep water far out; little shade, so bring an umbrella
- Jardin botanique de Deshaies · Parrots and lorikeets to feed, paths fine for buggies
Where to eat in Pointe-a-Pitre
- Café des Arts · On the quay near the cruise berths, handy the night before sailing
- An Chodyè La · Creole cooking downtown; the name is Creole for 'in the pot'
- Restaurant Chez Christiane · Home-style Creole plates; check evening hours, many places close early
- Le Jiss · On the Bas-du-Fort marina, where the evening crowd goes
- Coco Kafé · Casual place at the marina for a lighter dinner
- Les pieds dans l'eau · Tables on the beach in Le Gosier; book for sunset
Frequently asked questions about Pointe-a-Pitre
What is there to see in Pointe-a-Pitre?
The top sights in Pointe-a-Pitre are Mémorial ACTe, Musée Schoelcher and Musée Saint-John Perse. The full list on this page has 10 sights, each with a photo and a short note.
How many days do you need in Pointe-a-Pitre?
Three to four days are enough to see the best of Pointe-a-Pitre without rushing, including at least one walking tour.
Is there a free walking tour in Pointe-a-Pitre?
Yes. sleepntrip has 3 free audio walks in Pointe-a-Pitre, with no guide and no group: your phone tells the story at every stop. The first one: Sugar, iron and freedom.
How do you get to Pointe-a-Pitre and get around?
The main ways are Guadeloupe Airport - Maryse Condé, Cruise Terminal (Quai Foulon) and Bergevin Ferry Terminal. Full details are in the transport section on this page.
Looking for a hotel in Pointe-a-Pitre for your dates?
Only rooms that meet nine conditions, up to $80 a night.