Stay : Walking adventure in the footsteps of Guadeloupe
While most tourists prefer the Caribbean Sea, it's also possible to opt for a walking holiday in steep, tropical landscapes. In Guadeloupe, there are no fewer than 200 km of hiking trails and paths known as "traces". While professionals offer guided outings for all levels, you can also organize your own.
Summary of the stay
Best time to go
8 days
€€ - Charm and comfort
Detail of the stay : Walking adventure in the footsteps of Guadeloupe - 8 days
Day 1: Arrival at Pointe-à-Pitre, direction Sud Grande-Terre
Steps: Saint-François, Sainte-Anne
To minimize fatigue, especially if your flight arrives late in the evening, choose accommodation in Grande-Terre, near Sainte-Anne or Saint-François. This will help you avoid rush-hour traffic on the road leading to Basse-Terre, the economic and tourist zone. Relax, tomorrow a few kilometers of walking await you!
Day 2: Bois Jolan
Steps: Sainte-Anne
Departure from the kitesurfing school on Anse du Belley beach in Sainte-Anne, towards the famous Bois Jolan beach, renowned for its shallow, turquoise lagoon. The trail takes you through a small mangrove swamp populated by herons and sandpipers, between ponds and ponds, before landing on the splendid Bois Jolan beach, lined with coconut palms. No difficulties to report on the 8 km round trip.
PLAGE DE BOIS-JOLAN
Day 3: Anse-Bertrand
Steps: Port-Louis, Anse-Bertrand
Head for the north of Grande-Terre for a second hike, this time 9 km long, with no change in altitude and fairly easy. Departing from Port-Louis, the trail follows the coastline, first along the beach of Anse du Souffleur, which is perfect for swimming at the Port Saint-Louis cemetery, just beyond which the path enters mangrove and swampy areas. Once you've passed Anse Lavolvaine, popular with surfers, you'll come to Anse de la Petite Chapelle. Follow the coconut trees to Anse-Bertrand.
PLAGE DU SOUFFLEUR
Day 4: La Cascade Paradis
Steps: Vieux-Habitants
Early in the morning, we'll head for Vieux-Habitants, in Basse-Terre, to tackle the superb Cascade Paradis. The walk, which is fairly easy with a maximum difference in altitude of 100 metres, takes place in the heart of the Grand-Rivière valley, in the Guadeloupe National Park, and can be completed in around 3 hours. Lush vegetation and riverside paths accompany you to the waterfall, remarkable in that its basin is framed by harmonious geological formations known as basaltic organs.
Day 5: Carbet's first fall
Steps: Capesterre-Belle-Eau
Also located in the national park, the hike to the 115-metre-high First Falls of Carbet will be a challenge for less experienced hikers, as the gradient is slightly greater (350 m) than on previous itineraries. The path is nonetheless sumptuous, allowing you to discover various layers of humid forest, before coming face to face with the torrent exploding on rock that has turned orange from the passage of sulfate-laden water. Allow 4.5 hours to complete the 7 km trail, and a further 1.5 hours if you decide to go for the second waterfall.
CHUTES DU CARBET
Day 6: La Soufrière
Steps: Saint-Claude
Perhaps the highlight of the trip! The ascent of La Soufrière, the archipelago's highest peak, may not be the easiest of walks, with its 500 m vertical drop, but it is certainly the most satisfying. The path, with its fumaroles and powerful sulphur smells, exudes an atmosphere that could not be more volcanic, and the diversity of flora and fauna is astonishing. Once you've reached the crater, on a clear day you can enjoy a 360° panoramic view of the whole of Guadeloupe. An unforgettable sight!
VOLCAN LA SOUFRIÈRE
Day 7: La Trace des Alizés
Steps: Route De La Traversée
As this hike is only for experienced walkers, less experienced hikers should stick to the La Soufrière hike. The Trace des Alizés is in fact a former long-distance hiking trail - the GR-G1 - which runs along the ridges from the Route de la Traversée to Les Amandiers, north of Basse-Terre. The first stage is 27 km long, and can be completed in 8 hours, linking the center of Basse-Terre to the Belle-Hôtesse refuge. Check with local associations before undertaking this walk.
Day 8: The Trace of the Trade Winds
This second stage is a little less long than the first one, since its 20 km can be covered in 5 hours for the most athletic, but is no less sumptuous! It should be noted however that when leaving the Belle-Hôtesse refuge, the track gains in altitude, making the progression a little difficult at the beginning, but allowing to reach a clear panorama, before spinning gently towards the sea and the Amandiers.
Ideas for holidays and week-end breaks Guadeloupe
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