A self-guided tour of Marie-Galante – Departure from Pointe-à-Pitre

Your 100% independent trip to Marie-Galante starts in Pointe-à-Pitre. If you want to go to Grand-Bourg, meet at 7.30 am at the Bergevin ferry terminal for an 8.15 am departure every day. If you wish to disembark at Saint-Louis, you’ll need to catch the ferry from St-François. Once the 50-minute crossing is complete, all you’ll need to do is collect your hire car just a short walk from the landing stage, before setting off on your adventure in complete freedom. A packed day awaits you if you wish to visit the island’s main attractions. Saint-Louis is particularly famous for its many beaches, which are among the most beautiful on Marie-Galante (Anse de May, Anse Canot, the beaches of Vieux Fort). There are also several walking trails in the area around the town, ideal for learning a bit more about the local biodiversity and culture. As for Grand-Bourg, it stands out more for its architectural treasures. Strolling through its neighbourhoods is a real pleasure – a sort of journey back in time, as the old-world style of the buildings has been remarkably well preserved.

If you’d like to explore the island, please find below the main points of interest usually visited on the island:

• Beaches
• Habitation Roussel
• Mare à Punch
• Habitation Murat (former sugar plantation and museum)
• Kassaverie
• Batterie syrup factory
• One of the island’s three rum distilleries: Bellevue, Poisson (Père Labat), Bielle
• Maison de l’Indigo
• Honey farm
• Moulin Bézard
• Gueule Grand Gouffre

For lunch, we recommend two superb restaurants: one on the outskirts of Grand-Bourg, the Sun 7 (closed at weekends and from 11 August to 20 October), and the other on the outskirts of Saint-Louis, the Plaisir des Marins (closed on Mondays and in September). You can enjoy the best of local cuisine (Plaisir des Marins) or international cuisine (Le Sun 7), right by the seafront, with a magnificent view of the sea and Guadeloupe.

Le Sun 7 menu – with a €5 surcharge per adult (closed at weekends)

• Choice of starter: blood sausages, accras, fish rillettes
• Main courses: fish of the day, served with local vegetables or fried meat
• Dessert: crème brûlée, panna cotta, flan (depending on the daily menu)
• Wines and drinks charged separately

Children’s menu: steak or fried fish and a scoop of ice cream

‘Aux Plaisirs des Marins’ set menu

• Aperitif
• Fish-based dish, grilled fish or chicken: chicken curry, caili con tuna…
• Dessert of the day
• 1/4 bottle of wine

We recommend arriving at the restaurant around 1.00 pm to make the most of your morning tour of the island. You’ll then have plenty of time for your meal and a swim before you need to return your vehicle to the port of embarkation. It’s also worth noting that the rum distilleries generally close at 1.00 pm, as does the Habitation Murat at weekends. All the more reason to make sure you visit these two unmissable attractions on Marie Galante in the morning. Please also be aware that on public holidays, the Habitation Murat museum is closed to the public.

For the return shuttle to Pointe-à-Pitre, boarding is at 3.45 pm every day at the Grand-Bourg jetty.

HIGHLIGHTS

• A flexible itinerary
• Choice of vehicles: Category A or B cars and a Jeep
• One of the island’s best restaurants, situated on the beach, for lunch
• One of the lowest prices