|
|
| Guadeloupe is a French overseas department in the Caribbean. A little like Hawaii is to the USA. Deshaies is a municipality in Guadeloupe. |
|
If you want anyone here to understand you, you should pronounce Deshaies as "Dey hay". It is by far the quaintest village in Guadeloupe ( pronounce this one "Gwadloop"). Located between the mountains and the Caribbean sea, Deshaies is set in one of the prettiest bays in the Caribbean. This was not always an advantage for the locals. The pirates of all nationalities found in this location the shelter they were looking for and not all of them were very good bed fellows... On the Caribbean side, Deshaies boasts a magnificent coast where the cliffs alternate with secluded beaches. A few tourist view points are located where you can admire the beauty of the surroundings. "Tete à l'Anglais" (English man's head) is so called because its shape is akin to the British helmets of the time. It is in fact a large rock a few miles out in the Caribbean sea. The
other island in front of Deshaies, "Ilet Kahouane" (pronounce it "Eelay
Kawan") was named after its shape as a turtle in Arawak. The Arawaks
were one of the first amerindians to settle this island. |
Deshaies : the bay
|
Deshaies's bay |
Today there are more pleasure crafts than fishermen's boats anchored in the bay of Deshaies A few diving boats also add to the local economy |
| Thanks to the wisdom of its 4000 to 5000 people, Deshaies has been able to avoid the large hotel complexes . In doing so it has succeeded in preserving its authentic character while at the same time opening its treasures to the visitors. | |
|
Deshaies |
Deshaies |
|
Deshaies: Its church and bell tower |
It follows that the district of Deshaies is littered with "Gites" (pronounce "jeet") the French equivalent of bed and breakfast or vacation rentals. You will find there the vacancy you may require for your stay. Another positive effect, the economy stayed well anchored in local hands. Hence the tourist is more welcomed. Today, located in the centre of Deshaies, the village church bells still ring the hours and half hours. In Deshaies, even more than in the rest of Guadeloupe, you don't need a watch.... |
