Guadeloupe holidays

Carnival is huge here, with events running from the first Sunday in January, then every Sunday afternoon in the big towns through to Ash Wednesday (February/March). The last week is traditionally the biggest, loudest and most colourful celebration. The capital, Basse-Terre, and commercial centre, Point-a-Pitre, hold the main parades, but you should be able to find something happening in every town and village.

Gwo Ka is the traditional music par excellence. With heavy African influence, “Ka” describes both the drum used and the music created. In times gone by, slaves used the Ka to sing and communicate on plantations. Gwo Ka evolved from this, with seven rhythms linked to different emotions. Saint Anne holds a festival each year in July and its played a lot in the local Lewoz parties on Friday and Saturday nights.

Biguine music and dance is another big part of Guadeloupian life. Arising after slavery had been abolished, musicians imitated European music and added a rhythm alongside the music of the clarinet, trombone and the banjo. Freed slaves would play Biguine at the beginning of parties hosted by settlers. Over the years it’s picked up influences and mixed with other music styles.

Then there’s Zouk “party” music, which was a big hit in the eighties when Guadeloupian band Kassav made it popular by blending traditional Biguine music with disco and techno, creating a fast, carnival-style beat.

Mirroring the mix of cultures here, Guadeloupian cuisine features a delicious combination of Creole, French, African, Indian and Asian flavours. You’ll struggle to find a menu that doesn’t offer the islands’ fresh-as-can-be seafood.

Local specialities are served from wooden huts called Lolo’s and food trucks, dotted along beachfronts and roadsides. Look out for Accras (cod fritters), Boudin (like black pudding) and Bokits (a traditional fried bread sandwich - a bit like fried pitta - delicious). Don’t leave without trying a Colombo either – this is a Sri-Lankan inspired creole curry usually made with chicken, lamb or beef.

Sugarcane production is big in this neck of the woods, with other Guadeloupian produce including bananas, coconuts, honey, vanilla and cacao. Naturally, anyone with a sweet tooth is in food heaven - in Les Saintes, try Tourment d’Amour: crunchy coconutty cakes traditionally made by fisherman’s wives. Flan Coco is very popular, or if you’re sizzling on a beach, Sorbet Coco can be just the ticket.

Ti punch is the national tipple – a heady mix of lemon/lime, rum, sugar (then another glug of rum). Sugar comes fresh from the cane plantations, and of course the rum’s locally distilled, with Marie Galante island famed worldwide for its produce. Often the barman supplies the ingredients to be mixed by you, according to taste.

Guadeloupe’s been growing coffee longer than anywhere else in the Americas and is well known for the Bourbon Pointu coffee grown on Basse-Terre. Most plantations have slowly died out, but some have been restored to their former glory and offer tours and tastings. Look out for the legendary Guadeloupe Bonifieur label – rare but ridiculously good.

The juices made from locally grown fruits - guava, mango, carambola and noni - are like nothing you’ve bought in the supermarket back home. And while it might be the last thing you think of in hot climes like these, the hot chocolates created from Guadeloupian cacao are really something else.

Football in considered to be the national sport in Guadeloupe. The national team has a long history in international football, dating back to 1934 when they played their first international fixture. Stade René Serge Nabajoth in Les Abymes is the national team’s home stadium. There are several famous footballers who were born or have parents from Guadeloupe, including Thierry Henry, William Gallas, Lillian Thuram, Louis Saha, Alexandre Lacazette, Thomas Lemar and Kingsley Coman.

Sailing is also a popular sport in Guadeloupe with several prestigious international events held on the island, such as Ronde du Rhum the Guadeloupe to Antigua Race and Tour de Guadeloupe de Voile Traditionnelle (TGVT).

You will find several shopping malls across Grande Terre, with many favourite French brands including Mango, Lacoste, L’Occitane and Carrefour. One of the largest shopping centres on the island is Destreland in Baie-Mahault where you can browse over 160 shops and restaurants. For a more authentic experience, discover the markets and local boutiques in Pointe-à-Pitre, Sainte-Anne and Le Gosier. Look out for wonderful unique gifts like 100% Arabica ‘Bourbon Pointu’ savoury coffee, chocolate delights, Guadeloupean spices and rum. For souvenirs and local handicrafts, you must visit the Village Artisanal on the Pointe des Châteaux peninsula in St. François. In a dream setting a stone’s throw away from the sea, Artisanal is a unique market with a handful of colourful boutiques and a gourmet dessert parlour.