Guadeloupe: home of the no worries attitude and falling mangoes

“That’s the third time this year her windscreen has been broken by a falling mango.” My host relates this anecdote as we watch the neighbour discover her three-time broken windscreen, shrug and pick up the vandal mango to peel it for a snack. This is Guadeloupe. A Garden of Eden, dripping with fruit and populated with people who can always see the bright side, a mango falls onto your car? Well that’s one more perfectly ripe mango for the fruit bowl. This is the home of the no-worries attitude.

Two butterfly-wing shaped islands make up Guadeloupe, Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre. Basse-Terre is home to mountains, volcanoes, black sand beaches and mangoes galore. Tropical rainforest cloaks the mountain range from the intense sun hiding waterfalls, rapids and lakes.

Its neighbouring island Grande-Terre is dramatically different, appearing entirely flat and covered with fields of cane sugar. That is until you drive into the centre of the island to find the unique and stunning “Grand Fonds” or ‘Great Depths’. These are valleys without mountains. Driving along a ridge that bridges one end of these depths to the other the land drops away almost vertically on either side, dropping below sea level at some points and entirely covered with a blanket of vegetation. This unique landform creates an unsettling illusion of being at the top of a mountain, at the same level as the pristine beach behind you, a mountain range in reverse and quite spectacular.

Bananas to sweet potatoes, vanilla pods to chilli, everything thrives here. The vast river network, perfect white sand beaches and plantations of coffee, cocoa and cane sugar as far as the eye can see, make you think of paradise, if not for the roads. Unfortunately Guadeloupe is over-run with cars, however this does mean that the roads, cutting through mountain ranges and stunning fields, are the best way to see every inch of this pair of islands. Pull over to take in the view for a few moments or for an impromptu ramble in the forest or along the coastline.

Hiking in the rainforest is a must in Guadeloupe, the paths are cut through the dense forest sweating with humidity, so dense it feels like there is a wall of vegetation on either side of the path – you needn’t worry about losing the way as it is the only route through the forest where there is enough space to fit between the vine covered trees. Bring plenty of sandwiches to sustain a gruelling 2 hour hike to the Chutes du Carbet waterfalls, you will not be disappointed with the magnificent views. Other lighter walks such as to the ‘Etang l’As de Pique’ (Ace of Spades Lake, so named as it takes the shape of a spade from a deck of cards) are incredibly rewarding. Almost every path will lead you to a glorious view whether its across a valley down to the coast, a series of tumbling and churning waterfalls or a glassy lake.

Etang l'As de Pique

There is plenty to see in the National Park of Guadeloupe, with the active Soufriere (meaning sulphurous) volcano to climb and volcanic springs to bathe in on the way back down, but Guadeloupe is not just one huge national park. For those more interested in culture and arts there are museums a plenty to guide you through a fascinating history. Guadeloupe has welcomed a near constant stream of new-comers and settlers since Columbus’ discovery. First came the British, Dutch and French settlers who brought African slaves and then Chinese and Indian workers. For a pair of islands that can be covered in less than 2 hours by car, the demographic of inhabitants is incredibly diverse. With them, each of these newcomers brought something to add to the melting pot of Guadeloupian culture, cuisine, language and architecture. Guadeloupian creole language is generally considered the language of Guadeloupian ancestors and yet it is made up of a melange of French, Dutch and several African dialects. It is still spoken informally today despite the official language of the region being French, as a result there is a sense that Creole is the mother tongue and French the language of daily life. This mixed up cultural identity has inspired many writers to try and find what it really means to be Guadeloupian and a vibrant and successful literary culture has developed as a result.

Visit the museums in Pointe-a-Pitre to discover this unique history in detail. In particular visit the Musée Saint John Perse, a converted colonial house dedicated to the Nobel prize winning writer, and the Musée Schoelcher dedicated to Frenchman Victor Schoelcher partly responsible for the abolition of slavery in the French Caribbean islands. Other than museums and the occasional spice market Guadeloupian towns are primarily residential and functional so have little to offer a tourist. Spend as much time as possible in the beautiful and rich countryside or on the coastline. To learn about and taste the best of Guadeloupian exports, visit the Bologne Rum Factory (January to June) and the coffee plantation (year round). Learn how chocolate is made at the Maison de Cacao and taste the cocoa at all stages of production, from fruit to finished product.

Guadeloupe’s beautiful landscape and relaxed atmosphere will make you think time has stood still. You will be reluctant to leave this bubble of no-worries attitudes and falling mangoes.

(In July I spent three weeks in Guadeloupe, a pair of French-Caribbean islands, staying with a retired french couple and exploring the beautiful scenery, tasting mouth-wateringly exotic fruit and meeting loads of wonderful Guadeloupian people. Having described exactly where and what Guadeloupe is to many of my friends and family I thought I'd share a little guide to gorgeous Guadeloupe here. This doesn't come close to the real experience, so get going to Guadeloupe if you can!)