MUSÉE D’HISTOIRE DES SAINTES – FORT NAPOLÉON

Fort Napoléon located 114 meters above sea level overlooks Baie des Saintes, at the top of Morne Mire. It takes about twenty-minute walk from the pier. Curiosity: the giant cactus stretches in both length and width. Once again, we should thank Father Labat. In the 18th century, he supported the decision to plant cactus hedges around the forts. The fortress is well restored, surrounded by moats not filled with water. Of a Vauban style, the Fort Napoléon was listed as a Historic Monument on December 15, 1997. Contrary to appearances, Fort Napoléon no longer plays a military role. It is a museum that presents the history of Les Saintes and the battle of 1782 which opposed the French to the English. During the Second World War and under the Vichy regime, the Fort particularly served as a prison and French from Lebanon or Italia were confined there. It was not until 1973 that Fort Napoléon was transformed into a museum thanks to Association Saintoise de Protection du Patrimoine. Inside, under the vaults of large white rooms, there are the reconstitutions of battles, the navigation techniques, the history of colonization, the evolution of the botanical species of the island… There is also another great local speciality, the hat called salako, from Vietnam through the Annamites soldiers, whose uniform bore this delicate accessory. The inhabitants of Les Saintes adopted it and wrapped it with madras fabrics.

In the garden, the layout and choice of the plants testify to a true artistic sense: candle cactus, têtes à l’Anglais cactus, melocactus, balai trois heures, sapindus, racket. Their ability to adapt in tropical environments and their ability to store water in their roots explain their plant presence on the ground. You can also see a few iguanas in the slopes. You can easily get near them, they're tamed.