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THE SAINTS

PEOPLE

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The steep relief and the unfavorable rainfall did not allow the establishment of agricultural crops, few slaves were brought to these islands. The population is therefore historically made up of Bretons, Normans and Poitou who settled down to practice fishing. This peculiarity explains the specific type of Saintois and Saintoises, generally mixed with clear eyes, very welcoming and of rare beauty.

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Ilet Cabris - Terre de Haut

CRAFTS IN THE SAINTES

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The Salako

The craft industry is still very much alive in Les Saintes, and still produces typical objects:

  • The traditional hat: the Salako, made of bamboo plant fibers, with a pointed tip and probably from Indochina, covered with white fabric for the top and blue for the underside for its traditional color, but also dressed in Madras fabric.

  • Le torment d'amour, a traditional coconut cake but now available in several flavors such as: banana, pineapple or passion fruit.

  • La Saintoise, a fishing boat that has spread throughout the Guadeloupe archipelago for its reliability and maneuverability.

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Fishing in a Saintoise boat

THE ECONOMY

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Fishing has long been the main activity of the Saintes, the local fishermen being extremely famous throughout the Guadeloupe archipelago for their bravery and their "shots of the net".
For about thirty years, Les Saintes has become a major tourist destination and this activity is now the hub of the local economy. Terre-de-Haut hosts many pleasure boats which anchor in "the third most beautiful bay in the world" according to the evaluation made by the club of the most beautiful bays in the world. The hotel industry and guest rooms are spreading, without altering this archipelago which has managed to remain wild. The bay even attracts cruise ships that cruise in the West Indies.
Agriculture has never really developed on these arid lands facing the sea.
During the patronal feast, which takes place on August 15, the Saintes traditionally welcome many visitors for a week who have come to celebrate. On the program: musical podiums, competitions, miss elections, etc.

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Fishing boats at Fond Curé in Les Saintes

THE BATTLE OF THE SAINTES IN 1782

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The Battle of Saintes took place from April 9 to April 12, 1782, during the United States War of Independence, between the English fleet led by George Rodney and the French fleet led by the Count de Grasse. The English fleet emerged victorious. The clash was named after the Saintes, a group of islands located between Guadeloupe and Dominica in the West Indies.

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The battle of Saintes in 1782

THE ENVIRONMENT

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Pompierre Beach

The archipelago of Saintes only extends over 13 km2 but is characterized by a large coastline, enriched by those of 4 small uninhabited islands. The coasts of these islands are devoid of real reefs but their rocky bottoms are lined with corals. The sandy bottoms are more or less colonized by seagrass beds of Phanerogams. Les Saintes is home to many land iguanas.
The underwater fauna has suffered enormously (cyclone, tourism, desalination plant, etc.) and the magnificent corals, especially in Pompière Bay, have difficulty recovering. In the context of global warming and invasive species, the environment of these islands is considered very vulnerable.
Special, guyed wind turbines that can be laid on the ground (in 45 minutes) when a cyclone or storm is announced have been installed in the archipelago. These wind turbines are very light and designed to withstand the most common earthquakes. They do not require foundations as deep as the others and can be transported in separate parts. In 2007, the 7 machines of 275 kW per unit could produce 3 million kWh per year, making Terre-de-Bas, in the archipelago of Saintes, surplus in electricity, allowing it to supply Guadeloupe with it.

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Iguana in Les Saintes

THE HISTORY OF THE SAINTES

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Fort Napoleon

The archipelago of Saintes only extends over 13 km2 but is characterized by a large coastline, enriched by those of 4 small uninhabited islands. The coasts of these islands are devoid of real reefs but their rocky bottoms are lined with corals. The sandy bottoms are more or less colonized by seagrass beds of Phanerogams. Les Saintes is home to many land iguanas.
The underwater fauna has suffered enormously (cyclone, tourism, desalination plant, etc.) and the magnificent corals, especially in Pompière Bay, have difficulty recovering. In the context of global warming and invasive species, the environment of these islands is considered very vulnerable.
Special, guyed wind turbines that can be laid on the ground (in 45 minutes) when a cyclone or storm is announced have been installed in the archipelago. These wind turbines are very light and designed to withstand the most common earthquakes. They do not require foundations as deep as the others and can be transported in separate parts. In 2007, the 7 machines of 275 kW per unit could produce 3 million kWh per year, making Terre-de-Bas, in the archipelago of Saintes, surplus in electricity, allowing it to supply Guadeloupe with it.

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The bay of Saintes

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