Marie-Galante: Tour of the island + Folle Anse and Anse Canot beaches

Fancy a proper ‘offshore island’ getaway? This day trip to Marie-Galante combines a boat crossing, a guided tour of the island by minibus, followed by a lovely, convivial highlight: a barbecue lunch on the beach before rounding off the day with your feet in the water. Meet at 6.45 am for a 7.00 am departure from the fishing port of Saint-François. The crossing, made more comfortable by a spray shield on board and led by an experienced sailor from Désirade, takes you to Saint-Louis at around 8.00 am, where your guide will meet you. Setting off from Saint-Louis, your guide will take you on a 2- to 2½-hour tour exploring the landscapes and unique character of Marie-Galante: the coastline at Folle Anse, a stop at Habitation Roussel (the sugar mill), a visit to Grand-Bourg and Murat, followed by a ‘local specialities’ stop (a rum distillery or cassava workshop) before finishing at the Bellevue distillery. Around 12 noon, head to Folle Anse beach for lunch: a simple, generous and locally sourced meal, served in a relaxed atmosphere with raw vegetables as a starter, followed by rice with vegetables, grilled chicken and a fish skewer, and a coconut flan for dessert. In the afternoon, it’s all about the sea: swimming and lazing about at Anse Canot until we set off back at around 3 pm, arriving back in Saint-François at around 4 pm. A full and well-paced day: exploring in the morning, the beach at midday, and the sea in the afternoon.