Little Canal
Situated in northern Grande-Terre, Petit-Canal is one of the few municipalities in Guadeloupe – along with Anse-Bertrand – to be bordered on both sides by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and the Caribbean Sea to the west. Steeped in history, Petit-Canal reveals its scars through monuments and historic sites, and is by no means lacking in natural treasures.
Main attractions
- Glass-bottomed boat trip
- A tour of the mangrove swamp
- Blanc-Rousseau Islet
- The Ilet aux Oiseaux
- The Rotours Canal
- La Pointe des Sables
- Museum of Life in Days Gone By
- The Slave Marches
- The jetty
- The Environment Centre
- Landscaped park
- The Beautiran Trail
Details of activities at Petit Canal
Steeped in history, it was on these shores that slaves from Africa were unloaded during the darkest periods of Guadeloupe’s history. A flight of 49 steps, carved from stone and built by enslaved people, leads to the church forecourt, where the slave auctions took place. The former landing stage is now a fishing harbour.
The Environment Centre offers excursions and a tour of the mangrove swamp. A remarkable landscaped park will introduce you to over 300 species of native flora from Grande-Terre, 50 of which have medicinal properties. A museum of art and folk traditions invites you to step back in time.
Local events
- Petit Canal Festival – Saint Philipp/Saint Jacques – (3 May)
The beaches
- Anse Maurice Beach
Further information
Spend a full day or half a day on a glass-bottomed boat, with flippers, a mask and a snorkel, accompanied by a diving instructor and a biologist guide, and discover the mangroves, the lagoon, the coral reef and the islets of the Grand-Cul-De-Sac Marin.