Entre-Deux

Entre-Deux takes its name from its position between the Bras de Cilaos and the Bras de la Plaine, on a spur below the Dimitile ridge, and it has made a point of keeping and restoring its creole houses: painted wooden cases with varangues, lambrequins and flower gardens along the streets, many of them lived in rather than preserved as exhibits. It is the trailhead for the Dimitile and is known for its lentils and its slipper making.

Background

The name is French for Between-Two, after its position between the Bras de la Plaine on its eastern side and the Bras de Cilaos on its western side, the chief tributaries of the Saint-Étienne River. The same setting gave the commune its motto, Deux bras, un cœur, meaning Two arms, one heart. In 1839 Entre-Deux became the 5th section of Saint-Pierre, and in 1882 it was made a separate commune. The village prospered on coffee, brought to the island in 1715, and sugar cane also did well here. The commune covers 66.83 km2 and ranges from 109 to 2352 m in elevation, and its population grew from 3723 in 1967 to 7176 in 2023.

Source: Wikipedia, "Entre-Deux"

What to look for

• The creole houses - painted wooden houses with verandas and fretwork along the streets.
• The gardens - the flower gardens the village is known for.
• The Dimitile trailhead - the start of the climb to the ridge above.
• The local crafts - slipper making and other village trades.

When to go

May to November is the drier season. The village is at around five hundred metres and cooler than the coast. Weekends bring visitors from Saint-Pierre.

Before you go

Most of the houses are private homes and are seen from the street. The village is small and a couple of hours covers it. Parking in the centre is limited.

Nearby

Le Dimitile is above, and Saint-Pierre is south.

Key facts