Lessentiel des Caraïbes

Santo Domingo is the capital of the Dominican Republic and one of the Caribbean’s oldest cities. Its walled, cobblestoned historic core, the Zona Colonial, has buildings that date to the 1500s, including the cathedral, which was the first built in the New World. On the cafe-lined Plaza de España is the Alcázar de Colón palace. It’s now one of the city’s many museums, displaying notable medieval and Renaissance art.

Jost Van Dyke is one of the main islands in the British Virgin Islands, which are part of a volcanic archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. The island is known for its yacht anchorages, like the sheltered bay at Great Harbour. Casual bars and restaurants dot the sandy beaches here and at nearby White Bay. Bubbly Pool, a naturally foaming sea pool, is in the island’s northeast.

During the feast of All Saints in 1493, Christopher Columbus discovered this archipelago of nine islands that he named « The Saints ». Today, only two of them are inhabited. Terre de Haut, in the east, is dominated by the Morne Mire hill; at the summit stands Fort Napoleon, paying homage to the islands’ history. In the heart of the botanical garden, shared by iguanas and cacti, there is an exceptional view of the Baie des Saintes, one of the most beautiful in the world. The long shady beach of Pompierre, where it is forbidden to drop anchor, is a peaceful place for a swim, while Pain de Sucre Beach offers wonderful opportunities for snorkelling. On the island, don’t forget to taste the local speciality, the “tourment d’amour”, a cake made with coconut.

Portsmouth is a port city and naval base on England’s south coast, mostly spread across Portsea Island. It’s known for its maritime heritage and Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. The dockyard is home to the interactive National Museum of the Royal Navy, the wooden warship HMS Victory, where Nelson died in the Battle of Trafalgar, and HMS Warrior 1860. The Tudor ship Mary Rose is also conserved in a dockyard museum.

La nature intacte et exubérante de la végétation de Sainte-Lucie garantit à cette île son statut d’un des plus beaux joyaux des Caraïbes. Couverte par des forêts tropicales et des vallées, l’île dispose de deux pitons volcaniques très particuliers, comme deux cônes géants se dressant hors de la mer, près de la Soufrière. Lors de votre voyage à travers la forêt, vous pourrez faire une pause afin de visiter un superbe jardin tropical et certaines sources sulfureuses qui rappellent l’activité volcanique omniprésente sur l’île.

Chapelet d’îles de sable blanc baignées par une mer turquoise, les Tobago Cays sont un des précieux trésors des Grenadines. Véritable paradis pour les plongeurs, ses eaux sont le foyer de nombreux coraux et de milliers de poissons tropicaux. C’est un petit coin de paradis pour ceux d’entre-vous se sentant l’âme d’explorateurs et voulant découvrir les plages et les eaux cristallines où vivent les tortues de mer.

Mayreau is the smallest inhabited island of the Grenadines, with an area of about 0.46 sq. miles and a population of about 271. The population is centered in an unnamed village, located on Station Hill, a hilltop in the south-west of the island. It is an isolated community, accessible only by boat.

In the heart of the Caribbean, Bequia is the second-largest of 32 islands that make up the country of St Vincent and the Grenadines. You will love the lively and picturesque atmosphere of Port Elizabeth, the island’s main town. From the port, a promenade lined with beautiful traditional houses, landscaped gardens and small restaurants runs along the shoreline. It leads to Princess Margaret Beach, a wild beach where Princess Margaret herself has stayed and which seems to emerge directly from the tropical forest. From rainforest to lush meadows and long stretches of sand, Bequia will offer you a natural setting that is conducive to lovely walks and to spending time on the beach.

Located on the western coast of Martinique, Fort-de-France will amaze you by the splendour of its bay, a magnificent cut-out in the coastline, considered as one of the most beautiful in the world. At the harbour mouth, on its strip of land, fort Saint-Louis overlooks the capital city of Martinique. If you climb up to it, you can see some breath-taking views. Saint Louis Cathedral and the Schoelcher library bear witness to a secular history, intimately linked to the island’s story. Why not try some fresh coconut at the colourful Grand Marché. Two really pleasant places you can take a breather in, right in the heart of the city, are the garden of Balata and the Aimé Césaire park.