Antilles : discover > geography : iles Guadeloupe, Martinique, Sint Maarten ...

The two distinct islands of Guadeloupe, Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre form the shape of a butterfly spreading its wings into the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The eastern wing, Grande-Terre is the economic centre of the island, assembling ports, airports and industrial zones around its capital, Pointe-a-Pitre, and vast beaches of white sand and sugarcane plantations on the rest of its 590 km2. Basse-Terre, the west wing (848 km2) is of a more untamed and authentic nature, with a landscape full of hills and a rather wet[...]

Martinique extends over a surface area of 1080 km², 70 km long and 30 km wide at its largest point, with a size of about two-thirds of the area of Guadeloupe. Were it a sign of the Zodiac, it would almost certainly be Scorpio, with Aries in the ascendant, due to its longish shape. Population density in Martinique is around three times superior to that of Metropolitan France, with a feebler population in the north, and larger demographic poles in the south, in the regions of the capital, Fort de France, and coastal regions.

The island is thrown into[...]

The West Indies constitute an archipelago with its islands spread out like beads on a rosary: larger ones to the north and smaller ones to the south, all facing Central America. They are bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Caribbean Sea to the west. The West Indies are a mere 8 hour’s flight from Paris, separated from the capital of France by 7,260 km and are relatively close to North America, Central America (Mexico) and South America (Venezuela).

Saint Martin is situated in the centre of the West Indian[...]

Dominica is located between the French islands of Guadeloupe (to the north) and Martinique (to the south). Don't mix up Dominica with the Dominican Republic! It is one of the leeward islands with 29 miles (47 km) from north to south and 16 miles (26 km) wide for 290 miles (780 km2) in total surface area. Roseau, the capital, is located on the southwestern coast. The mountain range extends from the north to the south and has an average altitude of 3000 feet (1000 m), and the highest point is Morne Diablotin at 1447 m, followed by Trois-Pitons at[...]

Capital city of the Federation of Saint Christophe and Nieves. Pierre Belain d’Esnambuc arrived to the bay of Basseterre in 1624, stumbling upon a French colony, which had originally planned to reach Guyana but had decided to remain in this small harbour of peace. The island is a mere 168 km2, its capital more of a village than a town, yet undeniably charming with is colourful and well-kept streets. Creole, French and English influence intertwine in the architecture of the city’s aged buildings,[...]

The island of Saint Barthelemy is situated 18N and 63W, in the extreme North-Eastern zone of the Caribbean sea, 6,000 km from Paris, 2,500 km from New York, 180 km from Puerto Rico and 24 km (15 miles) south of Saint Martin.

This tiny piece of land of not more than 24 km² was formed between the Cretaceous and Eocene eras, and is thus one of the oldest land formations of the Caribbean region. Its landscape is abrupt with volcanoes condescending into valleys that open towards the sea, and the highest point is also one of these[...]

The smallest island in the Caribbean (54 km long and 28 km wide) lies between 60 53’ and 61 5’ longitude West and between 30 43’ and 14 5’ Latitude North. Martinique is to the north (40 km) and the archipelago of Saint Vincent & The Grenadines lies to the south (32 km).

The Two Pitons, with their summits covered by the sea, are the result of former volcanic eruptions. With their imperial stature, the twin Pitons clothed in a thick emerald coat of tropical vegetation, look as if they will rise above the turquoise water forever. The[...]

Marie Galante is an island of calcareous nature, situated 43 km from Pointe-a-Pitre, to an equal distance from Grande Terre and Basse Terre.

Its surface area is 158 km2, which makes it the third largest French Caribbean island after Martinique and Guadeloupe, shaped like a pancake of a circumference of 84 km. The three most important cities are the capital, Grand Bourg, in the south-western part, Capesterre in the south-east and Saint Louis in the north-east. Temperatures are relatively stable, moving around an average of 26°[...]

A charming archipelago with place names bound to make you smile: the Island of Goats (l’ilet a Cabrit), the Pierced Rocks (les Roches Percees), the Great Island (le Grand Ilet), the Redundant (la Redonde), the Notch (la Coche), the Pate (le Pate), the Augustins… This string of rocky islands is uninhabited, emerging from the sea like a mirage when approached by boat. Only the islands of Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas are generally visited by the public.