Fort Delgres

The fort above Basse-Terre was begun in the seventeenth century and rebuilt repeatedly as the island changed hands between France and Britain. In 1802 it was held by Louis Delgrès, a free man of colour and an officer of the French army, who resisted the expedition sent to restore slavery after it had been abolished; he withdrew to Matouba and died there with his followers. The fort was renamed for him in 1989 and now holds exhibitions and the cemetery of the garrison.

History

In 1649 the governor Charles Houël had a four-storey square keep built on high ground above Basse-Terre, reinforced with corner bastions and walled courtyards, and over the following centuries the fort was rebuilt and renamed many times, as Fort Saint-Charles from 1753 and as Fort Matilda under the British in 1794. In 1802 it was the stronghold of Louis Delgrès in his rebellion against the restoration of slavery; the fort was decommissioned in 1904, classified a monument historique in 1977, renamed Fort Delgrès in 1989 in his honour, and restored in 1993 (Wikipedia, Fort Delgrès).

Highlights

• The bastioned walls - the seventeenth-century fortifications above the harbour.
• The Delgres story - the 1802 resistance the fort is now named for.
• The garrison cemetery - the burial ground within the walls.
• The harbour view - Basse-Terre and the sea from the ramparts.

When to go

December to April is the dry season. The fort is open in daylight hours and free. Mornings are coolest for walking the walls.

Things to know

Much of the fort is unrestored and parts are closed. Interpretation is limited and largely in French. The history presented here is difficult and is not softened.

Nearby

Basse-Terre town is below, and La Soufriere is inland.

Key facts