Guadeloupe




Fort St. Charles (Delgres)

The fort was built in 1640 to secure Basse Terre against the enemy, which could only be the Brits. However, in 1802 Louis Delgres defended the fort against attacking Napoleonic forces with fatal consequences.

Fort Louis Delgres


Memorial

Erected for the defender of the Fort, Louis Delgres. Recently the fort even got named after him.

Houëlmont

On top of the 428 m high plateau is an observatory to watch over the smoking volcano La Soufrière. Up there it's now less prone to getting overrun by pyroclastic flows than at its former location down in the Fort.
Memorial Louis Delgres Houelmont


Post

Typical funny-looking groups of post boxes, consisting of single devices rammed into mother earth and some sort of six packs.

Post boxes Post boxes


La Soufrière

Apart from the beaches, maybe Guadeloupe's main attraction is the active volcano, the highest one on the Lesser Antilles (1467 m).

Lac Flammarion

The lake fills the bottom of a crater near the Soufrière.
Soufriere Lac Flammarion


Summit of Soufrière

A good part of the summit area is covered by fumaroles. Access to some of them is unfortunately (or fortunately) blocked. The gases also contain a small portion of sulfur dioxide.

Soufriere - Summit


Fissure

A major crack runs across the summit, from which steam and fumarolic gases escape with a hissing sound.

Lava

Since Guadeloupe is a volcanic island, lava is also present along the shore.
Soufriere - Fumaroles Lava


From Soufrière

Views to the mountainous terrain north of the volcano.

View to the north Farnes???


Anse de la Perle

The island in the background is Kahouanne.

Grand Anse

There are some nice beaches on the island, this one on the western Caribbean side.
Anse de la Perle Grand Anse


Trees

The jungle is made from some rather exotic trees, at least for European eyes.

Tree Tree


Chute du Galion

Tropical precipitation and volcanic rock combine to a couple of beautiful waterfalls.

Premiere Chute du Carbet

It takes a tough climbing up a small jungle trail to get to this waterfall.
Chute de Galion First Chute du Carbet


Heron

A gray heron or a great blue heron, God only knows.

Cow

The bird performing this rodeo is a cattle egret, the name says it all.
Reiher??? Reiher???


Lizzard

Most likely some kind of anole.

Pelicans

A group of brown pelicans. The clumsy-looking birds fly like jet fighters.
Lizard Pelicans


Bight

The rocky beach is not suited for swimming.

Anse Ravabotte

On the south-eastern side of Basse Terre.
Grand Anse Anse Ravabotte


Cannons

Many a cannon can be found along the shores of Guadeloupe. The islands in the background are called Les des Saintes and make a blasphemous target.

Cannon Cannon


Deshaies

A small town on the west coast of Basse Terre.

Lighthouse

At Pointe du Vieux Fort, south-east of Basse Terre.
Deshaies Lighthouse


Ferns

Fern plants are a common sight in the jungle.

Ferns Ferns


Grand Étang

A lake in the middle of the rain forest. A one-hour trail goes round the lake, and there are some other lakes in the vicinity offering a day hike.

Grand Etang


Jungle

An impenetrable wall of green.

View

At night from the porch of our house with the moon illuminating the scene.
Jungle From Home


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