La Désirade Island
La Désirade Island: The oldest one in the Lesser Antilles
La Désirade Island is an elongated limestone island and is also a dependency of Guadeloupe archipelago. The island is the oldest one in the Lesser Antilles. The name La Désirade has been given by Christopher Columbus in 1493. After long weeks in the sea, the navigator had a strong desired to reach the island hence the name.
The main features of La Désirade Island are the combination of its highest point and the coastline. Grande Montagne reaches 273 metres, in contrast to beautiful white sandy beaches protected by long coral reefs.
Due to its dry tropical climate, there is no agriculture industry in La Désirade Island. Therefore, sheep and goat farming as well as fishing are the major activities that drive economic growth. In addition to an ideal place to scuba-diving, tourism related activities are increasingly flourishing in La Désirade Island, especially for nature lovers. As the island is quite small, you can explore it either by walk, bike or scooter.
La Désirade Island: Petite Terre Archipelago
Petite Terre Archipelago is located about 7 miles from La Désirade Island to which it belongs administratively. Terre de Haut and Terre de Bas are the uninhabited islets part of Petite Terre Archipelago.
Due to its biological diversity and different natural environments, the archipelago has been classified Nature Reserve in 1998. Petite Terre Archipelago’s biodiversity is rich, from cliffs, coral reefs, forests, lagoon, sandy beaches, iguanas and two species of turtles, the list goes on.
La Désirade Island is a quiet, simple and authentic island that worth a visit. The clear turquoise waters and welcoming inhabitants will make your stay incredible.
Sites to discover
Here are some unforgettable places to explore when visiting La Désirade Island:
- The ruins of the old leper colony and cotton plant
- The nature reserve of Petite Terre Archipelago
- The marine cemetery of Beauséjour
- The lighthouse of La Pointe double
- The chapel Notre-Dame du Calvaire and the church of Notre-Dame-De-Bon-Secours
- Le Morne du Souffleur, a short one-hour hike
- Plage de Fifi, Plage du Souffleur and Plage à Fanfan – white sandy beaches
- Petite-Rivière, the ideal beach for scuba diving
