Pointe-a-Pitre
Guadeloupe's commercial capital, a grid of shuttered buildings around a market and a working harbour.
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Pointe-à-Pitre is the economic centre of Guadeloupe, built on the channel between the two halves of the island, and it has been knocked down and rebuilt repeatedly by fire, hurricane and earthquake, so the fabric is mixed: iron-balconied colonial buildings next to concrete. The Marché Saint-Antoine, the spice market, is the place most visitors are sent, and the Mémorial ACTe on the old sugar factory site is the serious museum.
What you actually see
- The Saint-Antoine market - the covered spice and produce market in the centre.
- Place de la Victoire - the main square with its sandbox trees and colonial buildings.
- The Schoelcher museum - the collection of the abolitionist Victor Schoelcher.
- The harbour - the working port and the ferry quays for the islands.
When to go
December to April is the dry season. The market is busiest in the morning and closes early afternoon. Carnival in February fills the streets.
Honest expectations
The city centre is run down in parts and empties after dark. Market vendors are persistent with cruise passengers and prices reflect it. Traffic and parking are difficult.
Nearby
Memorial ACTe is nearby, and Fort Fleur d'Epee is east.
What to pack for Pointe-a-Pitre
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.