Marie-Galante, known as ‘‘la grande galette’’ (big pancake), 158 km2, the authentic and picturesque reflex of west Indies as they were before. Round and sweet, 30 km from Guadeloupe, Marie Galante surprises its guests with its beaches, lagoons and picturesque landscapes.

With only 15 km of circumference, you will find in Marie-Galante only a dozen beaches, but all marvellous. Folle Anse and Feuillère beaches belong to most beautiful beaches of Caribbean islands.

Apart from beautiful beaches and lagoons, Marie-Galante offers landscapes diversity, and exceptional fauna and flora : its acacias with wonderful flowers and dangerous thorn, its trees of 30 meters high, savage vanilla, philodendrons…
Marie-Galante is a peaceful place where you can relax and simply have wonderful holidays.
As well as all Caribbean islands, Marie Galante offers all wealth of creole gastronomy, and its own specialities that you can find anywhere else.

The island was discovered by Christopher Columbus during his second trip, November 3rd 1493, he named it “Maria Galanda”, one of his caravel’s name. First colons arrived in 1648, most of them were killed by several pests or by « Caraïbes » people, who didn’t want to loose this important provisioning point.

In 1660, a peace treaty is signed by Caraïbes, new white families arrived on the island, and some Jewish and Portuguese communities expelled from Brazil, who decided to develop a new plantations, as tobacco and sugar cane.

At this time, island starts its economical development. First slaves arrive from Africa to cultivate the land.
In 1816, an english invasion will devastate the island, all houses will be destroyed. France will occupy the island again a few time later, with sugar cane plantation as main resource.

In 19° century, the island sugar economy is at apogee, that’s why on the island you can find a large number of windmills. In 1835 they were 105, at this time
Marie-Galante is also called « 100 mills island ».
In 1843, a earthquake, a rude beet sugar concurrence, and slavery abolition will end this sugar apogee.
Marie –Galante becomes a french department reattached to Guadeloupe in 1946, and always believes in rum and sugar industry : she will soon live a new evolution : tourism development.
Today, its colonial and indigene history leaves many traces and interesting sites as mills, rum factories, ancient colonial properties…

Marie-Galante is a historic and cultural land, and proposes to its guests many various activities. You can visit ancient properties and mills, do ballads in ox carts, riding, practice sea activities : all you need to spend wonderful holidays.

Commonly called la Grande Galette because of its circular form and its relief practically inexistent, (the main hill, “le morne Constant”, joins 204 m !), Marie-Galante island offers a tropical maritime climate. Sea temperature generally between 27 ° C and 29° C on summer.

Ambient temperature is from 27° C to 32° C.

Two main weather seasons, often without transitions :
- a dry season called « Carême », from December to may, when air is dryer and storms are frequent. Temperatures are generally very pleasant.
- a humid season called « hivernage » which lasts from July to October, with intense and frequent storms.

Hurricane season generally starts on July. Because of its geographical position in the middle of Caribbean arch, Marie-Galante can be concerned by one of this weather phenomenon. But hurricanes often concern northern half
of caribbean islands.

There are 5 hours of time lag between France and
Marie-Galante during winter and 6 hours on summer.