Discovering Terre-de-Bas

(S/E) From the jetty, follow the road leading to the village. Pass two junctions on the left to reach Grande Anse beach. Walk along the beach and continue straight ahead. You will reach a crossroads at the edge of the beach.

(1) Carry on along Rue de la Plage. At the end of the tarmac section, follow the path marked in yellow (watch out for manchineel trees; see the practical information). The path is obvious, the only one, and well marked once you reach the stony area. Enjoy the various views of the sea and Le Pâté, a small islet offshore. In the distance, you can see Basse-Terre.

(2) Go through the gate, which is actually a barrier for goats and other livestock. The path continues on the other side. Shortly afterwards, the path moves away from the coast and begins to climb. The forest thins out. Cross the clearings, still following the path.

(3) Go over the low wall with wooden barriers; the path continues to climb, sometimes over scree. The forest changes and becomes denser. Carry on climbing.

(4) You’ll reach a pond on slightly flatter ground. Shortly afterwards, a blue-marked path joins the trail; carry on straight ahead and you’ll reach another junction, this time with a red-marked path.

(5) Turn left to follow it, passing more pools along the way. The path begins to descend in wide bends. You’ll reach a road; continue downhill as straight as possible, sometimes on the road and sometimes on paths linking the roads.

(6) Finish the descent along the road leading to Grande Anse beach.

(1) Once at the beach, turn right to rejoin the road heading towards the jetty (S/E).

Warning: along the path you will come across manchineel trees (which resemble apple trees, as do their fruits); every part of this tree is poisonous, so do not seek shelter beneath it if it rains.

N.B. From (2), the route shown in purple on the IGN map is incorrect: stick to the route and description provided for the walk.

There are non-venomous grass snakes and tortoises in the ponds.

Wear suitable footwear, as it is often very hot.