Saut de la Lézarde in Guadeloupe

We’re continuing our exploration of other hikes in Guadeloupe with this article. Since returning from vacation in April 2023, we’ve gradually started taking the children on forest walks again. Today, I’d like to tell you about a place we had wanted to visit for a long time: Saut de la Lézarde. To be honest, we had heard plenty about it, particularly how slippery and dangerous it could be with children. In a nutshell, we can confirm that.

As I mentioned at the beginning of our article about the hike to the DC-3 plane wreck behind La Soufrière, this walk is entirely at your own risk. We’ve also recently published a complete guide to hiking La Soufrière, with or without a guide.

The site has been closed by municipal order since 2015 after emergency services were called out all too often following several accidents. Access and swimming remain prohibited. This article is therefore not intended to encourage you to go, but simply to share the walk we did there. Anyone who ignores the closure does so at their own risk.

In case you didn’t know, our blog has a whole page listing every walk we’ve done in Guadeloupe since arriving. You’ll find links to all our articles, GPS tracks for each route, and an interactive map showing their locations. Take a look.

Given everything we had heard about the site, we decided not to bring the children, and in hindsight, I think that was the right call. We dropped them off at school in Vieux-Fort and headed to Petit-Bourg, where the waterfall is located.

As with my article about the Mamelle de Pigeon walk on the Route de la Traversée, I won’t go into endless detail. I’m falling further and further behind with my posts, and I still have quite a few practical guides about traveling to Guadeloupe to write. So, let’s get started.

I’m going to explain how we found the entrance to this walk. I’ll also share my GPS track for reference. We normally use the free routes available in the Maps.me app, but in this case, the route shown there was incorrect. The weather didn’t look particularly promising when we arrived at around 9 a.m. Still, that didn’t bother us because we were in the mood for a little exploring. We packed our camera gear and set off.

We passed through the gate that everyone seems to use. A memorial plaque stands at the entrance, reminding visitors that two people, including a six-year-old child, were swept away and died there during a flash flood. It sends a chill down your spine. The path begins on the left and passes some abandoned buildings. We came across the familiar “Guadeloupe is too beautiful to become a garbage dump” sign, and it certainly has a point. We knew from the outset what we were getting into. The trail descends through beautiful tropical forest over extremely slippery clay. Along the way, we spotted local flowers such as torch ginger and heliconias, as well as a rather amusing banana shoot growing from a cut trunk.

We had barely been walking for five minutes when we came across another group who appeared to be struggling. As we approached, they were negotiating a very steep stretch of slippery mud. There were no roots to hold on to, which made the descent difficult. The mud was quite something, and it took us a while to make our way down without falling.

We descended carefully, searching for the least slippery spots as we passed through a patch of torch ginger, one of Mélanie’s favorite flowers. We did the best we could and eventually overtook the slower group. One couple was even carrying a child in a baby carrier. It may be physically possible, but a fall there could have serious consequences. I certainly wouldn’t have felt comfortable with Téo on my back.

After making it down the first major slope, we finally reached a flatter area beneath the forest canopy. The scenery was beautiful. Lush green vegetation surrounded us in the pleasantly humid air, and the soaked trail and trees made it clear that rain is frequent here.

This short, flatter section was especially pleasant, and as always, we enjoyed taking in the vegetation while watching where we stepped. After about five minutes through the forest, we reached the next major descent. It reminded me of the way down into nearby Canyon Moustique. This slope looked less intimidating than the first, with a web of exposed roots forming natural handholds and footholds. It was still slippery, of course, but there was plenty to hold on to, which made it relatively manageable.

After the descent, we continued along the path toward Saut de la Lézarde. We could already hear the waterfall below us. Near the end of the trail, we passed a couple of areas showing signs of recent landslides—that’s the geologist in me talking, haha. From there, it took us another fifteen minutes to reach the banks of the Lézarde. A light rain began to fall, adding a touch of Indiana Jones to the walk. We would have preferred sunshine, of course, but it wasn’t the end of the world. Even in the rain, the setting was striking: a humid, tropical landscape that felt almost primeval, with the imposing waterfall visible in the background. Depending on trail conditions and how comfortable you are in the mud, the descent can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.

Even as the rain grew heavier, I was struck by the beautiful color of the river. Since we were the first to reach the bottom, we took the opportunity to photograph the area and simply enjoy the surroundings. We then made our way toward the famous waterfall. It is around ten meters high and sits in a rocky cirque roughly 25 to 30 meters wide. At its base lies a deep pool. Although it may look inviting, swimming is prohibited and the site is exposed to sudden rises in water level. Don’t forget to look up and take in the vegetation all around you.

Despite the pouring rain, we protected our cameras as best we could and, during this past visit, decided to take a dip in the remarkable setting. I have to admit that standing there in the rain for a few moments, looking at the waterfall and surrounding vegetation, felt wonderful. We stayed for about half an hour before heading back up ahead of the crowds, which began arriving soon afterward.

We returned the same way. I found the climb less difficult than the descent, when we had been genuinely worried about slipping and tumbling down the slope. There were still a few awkward moments when our feet slid, but nothing we couldn’t manage.

In the end, we had a great morning together, haha. Some people might have chosen a relaxing day at a hotel, but that’s not really our style. The waterfall is undeniably beautiful and the setting very peaceful, but the walk itself was genuinely dangerous. The amount of mud was fairly reasonable—I had already spent hours trudging through mud to see the DC-3 wreck, haha—but the slippery ground made this route particularly tricky. Extreme caution is essential, and the site remains closed to the public.

We ended the morning by discovering a small riverside spot we hadn’t known about: Aire de Corossol. It is far less famous than other picnic areas, such as Bras-David, but we found it well worth a visit. There are shelters beside the river, and the shallow water offered the children a place to splash around during our visit.

I’ll keep this section brief because it is a short route and, more importantly, no longer an authorized trail.

I won’t repeat everything covered in our guide to getting to Guadeloupe, where you’ll find information about airlines, fares, and travel options from abroad. Once you arrive, renting a car is the easiest way to travel independently during your stay. We often recommend using the Discovercars comparison tool to compare rates from different rental companies in Guadeloupe.

Saut de la Lézarde is located in Petit-Bourg, near the Route de la Traversée and the D1 toward Vernou. Here is the route from the turnoff for geographic reference only. The trail, access to the waterfall, and swimming are prohibited by municipal order.

Practical information

A few figures from our route:

• Round-trip distance: 1 km
• Duration: 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on conditions
• Elevation change: 80 m
• Return to the starting point: yes
• Official trail: no; closed since 2015

There are places to stay near the area. These two options stood out during our research:

• Les Gites de la Lézarde: set in a lush, peaceful garden, this property is often praised for its spacious, comfortable rooms, pools, spa, and breakfast. Guests also frequently mention the warm and helpful welcome from the owners, Laurent and Christelle.
• Cap Colibri: another nearby vacation rental with well-regarded facilities. Reviews often highlight the cleanliness and comfort of the gîte, as well as the friendly, discreet welcome and helpful local advice from the owners, Christelle and Philippe.

There are plenty of other hikes in the area. Here are just a few ideas:

• Cascade Tambour de Diane: a walk that has been on our list for quite some time;
• Canyon Moustique: a beautiful and unusual route through a small canyon, where swimming is required;
• Les Chutes Moreau: farther south and a place we love—an article is coming soon;
• Saut du Bras du Fort: a pleasant, easy walk that also works well for families.

I’ll stop there, although I could mention plenty of others. Saut de la Lézarde is undeniably beautiful and has a very distinctive atmosphere. As explained at the beginning, however, access to the trail and waterfall is prohibited. The account above describes our past experience and should not be taken as a recommendation to ignore the closure. For a more accessible waterfall, Kalinago waterfall in Baillif is another lovely option. For an easy and enjoyable walk in Guadeloupe, you can also read our guide to Bis waterfall, a route suitable for a wide range of visitors.

See you soon for another corner of Guadeloupe. Since this visit, we’ve also discovered Anse Castalia on Grande-Terre.

Written by Sylvain PONS

Since 2021, I've been living in the Guadeloupe archipelago with Mélanie and our two children. We are exploring these beautiful islands and discovering the treasures that we are happy to share with you!

Despite our care, a mistake may have slipped into this article. If you find any, please don't hesitate to let us know so we can correct it as soon as possible and keep our information up-to-date!