Pointe-à-Pitre

Pointe-à-Pitre is the main city on Grande-Terre, the eastern half of the butterfly-shaped island of Guadeloupe. The cruise terminal is about 15 minutes' walk from the centre. The city has a grid of streets with a covered market (Marché de la Darse) selling spices, tropical fruit, and Creole food. The Mémorial ACTe, a large museum on the waterfront, covers the history of slavery in the Caribbean and is well done. Grande-Terre has white-sand beaches: Sainte-Anne and Saint-François are popular and reachable by bus or taxi. The French influence means the food is good: accras (salt cod fritters), boudin créole, and grilled lobster at beachside restaurants. Guadeloupe produces agricultural rum, which is distinctive from the industrial rum made elsewhere in the Caribbean. The euro is the currency (Guadeloupe is a French overseas department). French is the main language, with Creole widely spoken.