Grand Etang

Basse-Terre Island


Starting from St-Sauveur on the N1, the road runs 8.5km inland, making for a nice 15-minute drive up through a rainforest. Nearly 3km before the end of the road is a marked stop at the trailhead to Grand Etang, a placid lake circled by a loop trail. It’s just a five-minute walk from the roadside parking area down to the edge of the lake, and it takes about an hour more to hike the lake’s perimeter.

The going can be tough at times, with a couple of river crossings and slippery tree roots underfoot.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Basse-Terre Island attractions

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5. Parc National de la Guadeloupe

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Guadeloupe's only national park is an absolute stunner, covering much of the interior of Basse-Terre and including such sights as the Chutes du Carbet…

6. Valombreuse Floral Park

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7. Fort Napoléon

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Built in 1867 on the site of an earlier fort destroyed by the British in 1809, this installation sitting over 100m above sea level affords a splendid view…

8. Cascade aux Ecrevisses

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This idyllic jungle waterfall drops from a Basse-Terre mountainside into a small riverside pool where you can swim. It's a wonderful and therefore popular…

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