Pointe de la Grande Vigie

The Pointe de la Grande Vigie is the northern tip of Grande-Terre, where the limestone plateau ends in cliffs eighty metres above the Atlantic and the swell comes in from open ocean with nothing in the way. Paths run along the clifftop from the car park through low windblown scrub to viewpoints over the drops, and on clear days Antigua and Montserrat can be made out to the north.

Background

The point is the most northerly place on Grande-Terre and therefore on all of Guadeloupe. It sits in the commune of Anse-Bertrand, about 6 kilometres northeast of the town. The rocky peninsula ends in sheer limestone cliffs up to 80 metres high, which recall the cliffs of Brittany and eastern Normandy in France. Trade winds and salt spray keep the plant cover sparse and suited to drought, and almost nothing has been built here. The steep shore makes landing from the sea difficult. On clear days the view takes in the Grande-Terre lowlands to the south, Antigua 70 kilometres to the north, Montserrat 80 kilometres to the northwest, and La Désirade, 50 kilometres away to the southeast.

Source: Wikipedia, "Pointe de la Grande Vigie"

The landscape

• The limestone cliffs - drops of around eighty metres into the Atlantic.
• The clifftop paths - routes through low scrub to the viewpoints.
• The Atlantic swell - open ocean breaking at the foot of the cliffs.
• The northern horizon - Antigua and Montserrat visible on clear days.

When to go

December to April is the driest and clearest. Wind on the point is constant and strong. Winter swell makes the sea below spectacular.

Good to know

The clifftops are unfenced with lethal drops and the wind is strong enough to be a hazard. There is no shade at all. The neighbouring islands are only visible in exceptional clarity.

Nearby

Porte d'Enfer is east, and Anse-Bertrand is south.

Key facts