The real reason to head to St-François, Plage des Raisins Clairs on the western outskirts of the town is a popular sandy beach where it's safe to swim. There's a gradual slope, no drop-off, a long stretch of relatively shallow water and plenty of shade. Several food trucks and other eateries can be found just back from the sand.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
16.64 MILES
Top billing in the French Antilles goes to this huge museum of slavery, opened by President Hollande in 2015. Housed in a spectacular silver-latticework…
-
7.64 MILES
This headland of white sand about 2km west of Ste-Anne's center is one of Guadeloupe's very finest beaches – it's the Caribbean you probably came to see…
-
27.48 MILES
This Unesco Biosphere Reserve just off the coast of Basse-Terre makes for an enjoyable day trip. A chain of coral islets sitting atop a 25km-long coral…
-
28.93 MILES
Active volcano La Soufrière (1467m) looms above Basse-Terre's southern half. For an adventurous 1¾-hour hike to the sulfurous, moonscape-like summit, a…
-
26.81 MILES
This idyllic jungle waterfall drops from a Basse-Terre mountainside into a small riverside pool where you can swim. It's a wonderful and therefore popular…
-
14.26 MILES
Possibly Guadeloupe's best beach, Datcha is a dreamy strip of cream-hued sand, backed by shade-giving trees and fronted by calm, reef-protected sea. The…
-
Edgar Clerc Archaeological Museum
8.79 MILES
This relatively small but informative museum has a fascinating display of archaeological finds made on Guadeloupe and elsewhere in the Caribbean. Much of…
-
28.29 MILES
Unless it’s overcast, the drive up to the Chutes du Carbet lookout gives a view of two magnificent waterfalls plunging down a sheer mountain face. From…
Nearby Grande-Terre attractions
0.79 MILES
St-François' boldest piece of architecture is its perfectly circular art-deco farmers market slap bang in the middle of town. Packed with fruit and veg in…
1.1 MILES
In the center of St-François, Guadeloupe's biggest marina is the playground of the Caribbean yacht-owning classes. The only other reason to come here is…
4.42 MILES
Around 3km east of Ste-Anne and only accessible by car, this heavenly, off-the-beaten-track beach with its shallow warm water and white sand backed by…
7.18 MILES
This long peninsula right at the eastern tip of Grande-Terre is a beautiful stretch of landscape. With some good beaches on both sides, it's popular with…
7.57 MILES
For those who don’t speak French but know how distilleries work, this is a nice chance to wander around at will. It's particularly active during the cane…
7.64 MILES
This headland of white sand about 2km west of Ste-Anne's center is one of Guadeloupe's very finest beaches – it's the Caribbean you probably came to see…
7. Edgar Clerc Archaeological Museum
8.79 MILES
This relatively small but informative museum has a fascinating display of archaeological finds made on Guadeloupe and elsewhere in the Caribbean. Much of…
12.88 MILES
The nearly empty, quite remote beach of Anse Maurice is accessed via a small road with concrete tracks. The water is clear and very shallow until you walk…