BANANA HOUSE

This planter's house, dating from 1902, was completely restored after being partially destroyed by Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Nancy Bureau, the mistress of the house, is the ambassador of the banana as a nourishing fruit. She accompanies you on a complete tour of the site. As you pass through furnished and decorated rooms, you'll discover costumes, headdresses and objects from yesteryear, as well as a collection of antique instruments and photos evoking the history and cultivation of bananas, which became the leading agricultural employer in the West Indies. Explanatory panels support the comments. The tour ends with a tasting area, featuring banana varieties and banana-based products. You'll also enter the plantation, where a pathway has been laid out for walks, offering superb views over the islands of the southern archipelago, as well as a botanical garden with medicinal plants and numerous exotic species. During your visit, you can witness the transfer of banana bunches by cable-way (a type of aerial bracing) on cutting days.

Nancy also makes banana leaf headdresses, dolls and bracelets, which you'll find in the boutique. There's also a workshop where you can learn how to make your own banana creations. If you'd like to spend more time on the site after the guided tour, a picnic basket service is now available (to order), with banana dishes accompanied by homemade herbal teas.