Jeremie

Jérémie sits at the western end of the southern peninsula, cut off enough by distance and road conditions that it developed its own character: a literary reputation going back to the nineteenth century, a cathedral above the harbour, and streets of old timber houses running down to the water. Hurricane Matthew hit it hard in 2016 and the rebuilding is visible everywhere. The surrounding Grand'Anse is the wettest and greenest part of Haiti, growing cacao and coffee.

History

Jérémie is called the city of the poets for the many writers, poets and historians born here, and in 1762 it was the birthplace of General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, father of the writer Alexandre Dumas. In 1954 Hurricane Hazel destroyed much of the town, and in the early 2000s archaeologists uncovered a synagogue of crypto-Jews, the only one found on the island (Wikipedia, Jérémie).

What's there

• The waterfront - the harbour and the streets running down to it.
• The cathedral - Saint-Louis above the town, the main landmark.
• The old houses - timber buildings with balconies through the older quarters.
• The literary tradition - the writers' reputation the town has carried since the nineteenth century.

When to go

November to March is the dry season and the best for the road. The rains make the overland route considerably worse. Hurricane season runs from June to November and this coast is exposed.

Practical notes

The road from Les Cayes is long and rough and takes far more time than the distance suggests; flying is the practical alternative. Damage from 2016 is still visible in the town. Accommodation is limited and basic.

Nearby

Anse d'Azur is five kilometres west, and Abricots and Dame-Marie are further along the coast.

Key facts