Tourist information:

Capesterre Belle Eau, located east of the island of Basse-Terre, was the landing place of Christopher Columbus' ship on November 4, 1493. This place whose name means "land exposed to wind from the east" includes the cities of St. Marie, St. Sauveur and Bananier. Capesterre Belle Eau was developed through the sugar cane and banana.

Today the town is known for its Cabret waterfalls, a top tourist attraction. It also makes you discover other natural attractions and historical sites of great value.

History:

November 1493: Christopher Columbus arrived at the mouth of the Grand Cabret where the crew got supply of drinking water. The next day, the boat anchored in the harbor of St. Mary. Soon after, Columbus left seeds and pigs to this very prolific land.

1496: Christopher Columbus returned to Guadeloupe but Carib Indians were then aware of the atrocities committed by whites men, so they welcome the boat with poisoned arrows. The island became the stronghold of the Caribbean rebellion.

1643: Charles Houël moved to Guadeloupe. Soon after, he was made an officer of justice on the island he bought in 1648/1649 with his brother John of Boisseret to the Compagnie des îles d'Amérique. Houël was governor of Guadeloupe from 1643 to 1664. It was thanks to him that the island experienced a major economic boom in this period.

End of the eighteenth century: Capesterre became an important place for runaway slaves: the slaves were hiding in forests and fought against oppression.

1848: Abolition of slavery.

1854: Following the abolition of slavery, the city needed people to work and so they got Indian, Chinese and Africans to come in the form of regulated immigration. At the end of the year, the ship Aurélie arrived in Point-a-Pitre, with 344 Indians who signed up voluntarily for 5 years.

1906: The political rights of Guadeloupian Indians were recognized by the Colonial Secretary.

1945: Workers' revolts raged all over Guadeloupe. In Capsterre, an agreement was signed between workers and employers for an increase in wages by 3.5. That same year, Capesterre took the name of Capesterre the Valiant.

1971/1975: Social movements led planters to hire workers from Haiti.

1976: The town was named Capesterre Belle Eau.

To see / To do:

The beautiful town of Capesterre Belle Eau and its nearby region enjoyed a remarkable natural heritage.

Cabret Falls: Produced by the Cabret river, the falls are three in number. They offer an exceptional show and are one of the most visited sites in Guadeloupe (about 400,000 visitors / year). The most impressive is the first one which is 125 meters high. It is also the most remote and is accessed by a hiking trail which is sometimes difficult (3 hours for the round trip). The second is more touristy and is 110 meters high. It is joined with a concrete path but access to the foot of the falls is closed to the public due to a risk of falling rocks. The third is smaller, 20 meters high but the flow is the strongest. Only experienced hikers can access it because the path was closed due to landslides.

Dolé Waters : the quality of the water of the 3 ponds of the site was already known at the time of Native Americans. In the early twentieth century, the gentry used to go for a course of treatment in the Dolé-les-bains spa center. Since 1969, the Eaux Capès-Dolé company has been producing bottled water.

The Longueteau distillery : Founded in 1895, it is the oldest rum distillery still operating. The Longueteau family still manages the company, They produce Longueteau rum there for export and Monrepos for the local market. A free tour in the domain will make you discover the amazing history of the distillery and will offer you a tasting.

You may also visit: the Slave Cemetery, a memorial, the Hindu temple of Changy, a wonderful witness of Indian influence, the Saint-Eloi gardens, and the Grand Café plantation.