A Touch of Brittany in the Caribbean

After a short stop over in the laid back Prince Rupert Bay at the north west corner of Dominica we made the hop to Les Saintes, a small archipelago just south of the main island of Guadeloupe.  After crossing the channel from Dominica, with 15 to 20 knot trades on our starboard beam, we navigated through Passage Sud Ouest and made our way round to the anchorage in the main settlement, Bourg Les Saintes.

The town, with a history of sail making, has a Breton village feel and is set on a beautiful bay sheltered from the northerly swells and easterly winds.  Just 18 miles from Dominica but a completely different vibe. Certainly more affluent and prosperous, and the gallic atmosphere is unmistakable from the moment you set foot on shore. Excellent restaurants, patisserie, ice cream parlours, colourful houses, churros stall (much to Freddie's delight), the obligatory Marie with a legion of Children dressed in festive clothes singing traditional French Christmas songs.  The small streets are immaculate, the water is clear and sand on the seafront beach is clean. People are taking their late afternoon dip amoungst the small fishing boats moored on the shore.

All in all, pretty idyllic, well worth a visit and the 15 euros to pick up a mooring buoy for the night.