The Case Moustache Mangrove and Pointe d'Antigues

Departure from the car park at Anse du Souffleur beach, at the northern end of Port-Louis (follow the signs).

Yellow markings + directional signs
There are also some pink markings, but they are very sporadic and are only mentioned here in case of need.

(S/E) From the car park, head towards the beach and immediately turn right onto a small tarmac road towards Anse Bertrand (information board with map). Walk past the cemetery on your left and, at the end, first turn left then right to continue on a track lined with wooden posts and parallel to the shore. Note a few carbets (wall-less shelters) on the left-hand side.

(1) Just before the last hut, leave the track and turn right onto the mangrove discovery trail (sign only visible from behind before you pass it). Look for a yellow marker on a tree, then a pink marker. A few metres further on, turn left and step onto a wooden pontoon. Follow the pontoon as it winds through the mangroves and over the flooded marsh. At the end of the pontoon, continue along a stabilised path marked out by small limestone blocks (wet passages).

(2) At a marker post, turn left. Wind your way through dense vegetation, first on a path still marked by small blocks, then on a trail (follow the markings carefully, which here are mostly vertical lines; general direction west-northwest). When you reacha tree thatis significantly larger than the others, turn left. This will take you to the edge of a large body of water (or a marsh in the dry season).

(3) Then turn left towards a clearly visible pontoon and walk along the marsh on your right (wet areas). Follow the pontoon, which crosses a stream, before rejoining the coastal path you left earlier.

(4) Follow the track to the right towards Anse Bertrand. At the end of the track, pass between two wooden posts, each bearing a pink marker, continue along a sandy path and follow the shore more or less closely on your left. At a fork (post with a pink marker on one side and a yellow marker on the other), turn right. Pass a tiny modern chapel on your left and continue under the shade. You will arrive at Pointe d'Antigues (a shoreline made up of coral reef remains).

(5) Continue north on the coastal path and you will come to Anse Lavolaine beach. Walk along the beach for as long as you like.

(6) Retrace your steps along the coastal path and then along the track to the end of the mangrove discovery trail.

(4) Go straight ahead, cross the marsh spillway (access path to a watchtower on the left) and continue along the track to the starting point of the mangrove discovery trail.

(1) Continue straight ahead, go around the cemetery on the left and head to the car park at Anse du Souffleur beach (S/E).

Choose lightweight, water-resistant hiking boots. Do not skimp on water supplies. Sun protection is essential for the entire coastal route. Depending on the season, bring mosquito repellent for the mangrove trail.

The Port Louis Marsh, along and within which you will be walking, is a sensitive natural area: respect the environment, do not disturb the wildlife, and take your rubbish with you.

A detailed map is required (at least the one accompanying this description).

Important warnings and recommendations:
The mangrove discovery trail, between (1) and (4), uses three types of surface: pontoon (at the start and end), a well-defined path and a more or less marked trail. While the pontoon section poses no problems, there are several recommendations for the other two surfaces:
- Take the time to identify the correct route and follow the markings carefully (which are fairly dense but unfortunately old).
- If you lose sight of the markings or are unsure, do not hesitate to turn back to a landmark you saw earlier.
- A compass or, better still, a GPS track on your mobile phone (with a fully charged battery) can be a valuable aid.
- Depending on the season, outside the pontoon, you may encounter wet or flooded passages. Don't hesitate to get your feet wet, as the ground is generally stable (check with a stick before stepping on it).
- The path can be difficult in places due to the wet ground and dense vegetation. Add to this the need to navigate in this environment, and it is clear that progress will be slow. N.B. I completed the entire hike in 2 hours instead of the estimated 1 hour 35 minutes (walking time only), mainly due to the route through the mangroves.
It is for all these reasons that this hike has been rated as Moderate, even though its short distance and lack of elevation gain would have made it suitable for the Easy category.

Variations:
Avoiding the mangrove swamp - Those who enjoy coastal trails but do not wish to cross the mangrove swamp can continue straight ahead on the track at point (1) and rejoin the main route at point (4). However, I recommend joining the pontoon at point (4), on the right just before the directional signs, in order to enjoy a comfortable view of the mangrove swamp.
Continue to Anse Bertrand - Once you arrive at Anse Lavolaine (6), you can continue along the marked coastal path to Petite Chapelle beach. It is best to leave a second vehicle in the beach car park. It is about 8 km from Anse du Souffleur to Anse de Petite Chapelle, without the detour through the mangrove.

N.B. In the past, the mangrove discovery trail could be followed directly from the car park, starting from a discreet cement path before the tarmac road (dotted line on the IGN map; one or two signs on site bear witness to this). It seems that this trail is not well maintained and, in October 2017 (two weeks after Hurricane Maria), access was very difficult and the trail quickly disappeared into a chaos of vegetation. I recommend not following this route and starting the discovery trail at (1).

Hike completed by the author on 3 October 2017.

On the route:
- The mangrove alone is worth a visit (provided you enjoy walking in this environment). Mangroves reign supreme here, as do small fiddler crabs, known in the West Indies as "cémafaute" in reference to the gesture of contrition made during confession in the Catholic faith. There are many other plant species in the marsh, as well as birds.
- At Pointe d'Antigues, there is a beautiful view of Basse-Terre.
- Beautiful beach at Anse Lavolaine.
- Beach at Anse du Souffleur (S/E) and several other opportunities for a good swim along the coastal route, provided the coral reefs are far enough from the shore.

In Port-Louis:
- Sugar cane museum, on the site of the former Beauport sugar factory.

In Petit-Canal (near the church, west of the village):
- Memorial to the Unknown Slave, inaugurated in 1994 for the bicentenary of the first abolition of slavery.
- Slave Steps. More moving than the memorial itself, these steps lead to the quay where slaves were sold when they disembarked from the ship. Plaques indicate the names of the African ethnic groups from which they originated.