Situated on the east coast of Basse-Terre, between Baie-Mahault and Goyave, at the edge of the Petit Cul-de-Sac Marin, the town of Petit-Bourg is a good place to begin a hike in the Guadeloupe National Park, in particular if you plan to pay a visit to the famous Lézarde waterfall.
The most extensive commune in Guadeloupe, Petit-Bourg has much to be explored, such as the residential area of Vernou, where you can admire the beautiful Art Deco-style villas built in the 1950s… After passing through the port of Petit-Bourg, head to the south of the commune to visit the Montebello distillery. Famous for its cane juice rum, the distillery is open to the public from February to July, giving you the chance to see the different steps in the rum production process and attend a tasting.
Then before you leave the municipality, spend a moment at Viard Beach. Enjoyed by windsurfers and kitesurfers, this wonderful beach of grey sand, shaded by sea grape bushes, is a pleasant place for relaxing a while before continuing your exploration of the island…
Located 15 kilometers from Pointe-à-Pitre, Petit-Bourg stretches from the edge of the Petit Cul-de-Sac Marin to the heights of the Route de la Traversée.
The largest municipality... It is the largest commune of Guadeloupe with an area of 13 000 hectares. It is traversed by many rivers. To the north, the Coin River which separates Petit-bourg from Baie-Mahault and to the south the river of Sarcelles, border with the commune of Goyave. Not to mention the amazing rivers of the Lézarde and Moustique. Gorges still enliven this harmonious relief like that of "Onze heures" which passes in the village under the famous "Pont onzé" or those of "Camargo", "Justin", "Couleuvre" and "Deuxbras".
A high agricultural place... Petit-Bourg has always been a large agricultural commune. In the past, coffee, cotton, tobacco and cocoa were produced. Today it is known for its plantations of yams and pineapples, including the famous pineapple bottle. Bananas, sugarcane and food crops are also exploited. The commune hosts INRA (National Institute of Agronomic Research) whose work is actively involved in the development of agriculture and livestock in the department. Petit-Bourg counted up to twenty distilleries whose only still in activity is that of "Montebello".
Taking advantage of its extreme extent, Petit-bourg can count on its main asset, the combination of sand and tropical vegetation. "The green city" deserves its nickname because it is occupied 69% by the forest. To the north, it is crossed by the beautiful road of the Traversée which leads to the "Deux Mamelles". A stop at the "Maison de la Forêt" will guide you, for walks or simple walks, on the trails, waterfalls and rivers, tourist sites arranged by the National Forestry Office.
A generous nature... In the heart of the National Park, the waterfall with the Ecrevisses and the jump of the Lézarde are two sites unavoidable easy to access. The beautiful beach of Viard, with volcanic sand lined with coconut palms, grapes and almond trees, is also a pleasant holiday resort where water sports and activities are proposed by the sailing center, whose dynamism and initiatives on The regional plan are recognized.
