Les Saintes archipelago is composed by two main islands, Terre de Haut and Terre de Bas, and plenty of rock islets with original names : îlet cabrit, les roches percées, Big îlet, la Redonde, la Cloche, le Pâté, les Augustins, this last not inhabited. You can observe them by far and you can approach by boat.

10 km south from Guadeloupe, Les Saintes are a peaceful place with pleasant climate. Two main islands (19 km2 surface) have a very special charm : they remain simple and very singular.

With beautiful roadstead and beaches, les Saintes are a tourism high place in Guadeloupe. Their “tourments d’amour” (local coconut cake) are the feast of 350 000 visitors each year, arriving on Terre de Haut, face to an original house in the form of a boat.
Island lives on the rhythm of ferries arriving in the morning and finds back all its tranquillity in the evening, after their departure. Its roadstead is considered one of the most beautiful in the world. As a little Rio, Les Saintes also have their “Pain de Sucre”.

Les Saintes population essentially comes from Bretons, its economy mostly oriented to fishing. «la Saintoise », the island typical boat, is a non-pointed small craft, light and very fast.
Its main characteristics are the singular sail with a jib and a triangular sail on a bamboo boom.
Fishermen use their local hat called “Salako” to protect themselves from sun, its form reminds asiatic headdress hat. Some say that French marines officers, based in Tonkin, introduced it in the Caribbeans.

Les Saintes were discovered on All Saint’s Day on November 1493 by Christopher Columbus, who named them « Los Santos”. They become a colonial establishment only in 1648,and fast become a demanded place. Also called “Gibraltar of Guadeloupe” for its military vocation and its ideal geographical position.
On 18th century maps, Fort Napoleon is one of the most known fortifications hill.
Terre-de-Haut island, face to winds ; Terre-de-Bas, leeward, where many fights between french and english armies took place.
Two most famous ones, in 1666 and in 1782, « Les Saintes battle », also called « West Indies Trafalgar battle », the last battle of Independence American war.
In spite of french fleet defeat, commanded by Compte of Grasse, England recognised USA independence with Versailles Treaty in 1783, and is obliged to give back many territories to France.

Les Saintes landscapes and bays are really magnificent. Nautical activities are water-ski, diving, jet-sky… you will be as happy as a sandy boy!

Middle temperature from 27° C to 32° C. It can rarely go down to 20° C. Trade winds contribute to moderate these high temperatures, creating a very pleasant climate.

Sea water temperature goes from 20 to 25 ° C, the sea is generally more swelling on Atlantic side and calmer on Caribbean coast.