Fort Napoleon des Saintes

Fort Napoléon stands on a hill above the harbour of Terre-de-Haut in Les Saintes, built in the nineteenth century on the site of an earlier fort destroyed by the British, and never used in action. Its casemates hold a museum on the naval battle fought in these waters in 1782 and on Saintois life, and the dry ditches and ramparts have been planted with a cactus garden. Iguanas bask on the walls in numbers.

History

A first fort, Fort Louis, was built between 1777 and 1779 on the Morne Mire, 119 m above sea level, with barracks for 45 men, to guard the Terre-de-Haut roadstead; renamed Fort Napoléon in 1805, it was wrecked by British forces in 1809. After Guadeloupe returned to France in 1814 the fort was rebuilt from 1816 to 1840, and in 1842 the navy decided on a proper bastioned fortress, completed in 1867, which never saw battle and was used as a penitentiary instead (Wikipedia, Fort Napoléon des Saintes).

What to look for

• The ramparts - the walls and dry ditches above the harbour.
• The cactus garden - the succulent planting laid out in the fortifications.
• The iguanas - the lizards basking across the walls and paths.
• The harbour view - Terre-de-Haut and the bay from the top.

When to go

December to April is the driest. It opens in the morning and closes early afternoon, which catches people out. The climb up is steep and hot.

Things to know

It closes in the early afternoon and arriving late means missing it. The walk up from the village is steep with no shade. Museum labelling is in French.

Nearby

Terre-de-Haut village is below, and Guadeloupe is north.

Key facts