Mamelle de Pigeon hike in Guadeloupe

I recently wrote about the hike to the DC-3 plane wreck behind the Soufrière volcano, but it had been a while since I covered a shorter hike in Guadeloupe. This time, we’re heading up Mamelle de Pigeon. I have to admit that although we love to hike in Guadeloupe, we’ve slowed down a little lately.

Fresh back from a vacation in Barbados, we decided to try this short hike along the Route des Mamelles during a day out. The forecast looked good for the weekend, and since this area does not always escape the rain, we wanted to make the most of it.

After looking through all the articles I’ve written about Guadeloupe since we arrived, I realized I had never covered a walk in this area. I won’t go into quite as much detail as usual, partly because I’m behind on about a billion things for the blog. To be fair, this is more of a steep walk than a true mountain hike. Still, it deserves a mention if you’re looking for a short outing with lovely views over the surrounding landscape—weather permitting. Come on, let’s go.

I’d also like to introduce you to another place in the Basse-Terre area: the Rivière du Plessis and Cascade Kalinago in Baillif.

We had originally planned to return to the Trace des Ruisseaux, a walk near the Maison de la Forêt, also along the Route des Mamelles. For anyone unfamiliar with Guadeloupe, the Route des Mamelles is the only road crossing Basse-Terre from east to west, between Petit-Bourg and Pointe-Noire. In the end, we set off too late and chose a much easier, shorter option: the well-known Mamelle de Pigeon hike.

We were lucky: by the time we reached the road, the weather was beautiful. It was one of the few times I had seen the area under such clear skies. The drive from our home in Vieux-Fort to the roadside parking area took about an hour.

We started this short walk with the children at around 10 a.m. Take a moment to enjoy the sweeping view of the vegetation from the parking area. We then crossed the road carefully, as drivers tend to travel quickly here. A sign at the trailhead indicated a 30-minute walk. The trail leads to a small summit rising to 768 meters above the Col des Mamelles.

The children seemed motivated, even two-and-a-half-year-old Téo, although getting him to walk has become increasingly difficult lately. We got straight down to business with a series of steps leading us into the surrounding rainforest. The map shows an elevation gain of roughly 200 meters over just more than a kilometer to the summit. In other words, the distance is short, but the climb is fairly steep. One reason for choosing this little hike was to help the children get used to walking. We also wanted to keep documenting every trail we explore in Guadeloupe so we could share it on the blog—which is exactly what we’re doing here!

I really liked the beginning of the trail, surrounded by forest. Look up as you walk and you’ll see numerous epiphytic plants clinging to the trees, some of them impressively large. Every so often, openings in the vegetation reveal lovely views over the surrounding interior…

The first part of the mountain trail is very pleasant. People coming down warn us that the final section is completely different—and very muddy. Since I had walked across the plateau behind La Soufrière less than a week earlier, I figured I could handle it without too much trouble, haha. The path keeps climbing, and the children remain in good spirits. As long as we keep them occupied and point things out along the way, the walk goes smoothly enough.

The trail gradually becomes wetter, alternating between wooden steps and earthen sections. Nothing too difficult, especially at Téo’s pace: he walks very slowly and stops every 30 seconds to pick up stones or play with a stick. At a normal pace, however, the sustained climb can definitely make your legs feel the effort.

Wooden barriers protect a few sections along the drop-off, but most of the trail remains open. Keep a close eye on children and do not let them play near the edge, as a fall could be extremely dangerous. After about 30 minutes of walking at our own pace, we reached a wooden staircase built across a particularly steep section.

A few minutes later, a beautiful panorama opened up on our left. Directly ahead, we could even make out another hiking destination, Mamelle de Petit-Bourg, easily recognizable by its distinctive steep profile. Although the sky was slightly overcast, we could see the sea and cliffs in the distance. It was already 11:30 a.m., and the sun was intense despite most of the trail being shaded. An earlier start would offer softer light over the landscape—and better conditions for photos.

We continued past the last steps, and sure enough, the final section of the trail was extremely muddy. The weather was fine that day, so it must have rained recently, given how much mud had collected in places. After an hour of walking, we reached the summit, genuinely proud that Téo had managed almost the entire climb on foot.

At the top, a small wooden viewing platform overlooks the surrounding landscape. Even with the harsh midday light, we spent about 15 minutes enjoying the view. Here are a few photos taken from the platform at the summit.

We could see the sea on the horizon and Grande-Terre in the distance. On the other side, the sky was overcast, but the clouds clinging to the ridgelines looked beautiful. All in all, we had a wonderful time. Téo was clearly exhausted, so I carried him on my shoulders for the return trip. The descent was much quicker, although the mud meant we still had to watch our footing.

That brings this short walk up Mamelle de Pigeon to an end. It’s a lovely outing, and the atmosphere along the trail is especially pleasant. The forest vegetation is as beautiful as ever when you take the time to notice what surrounds you. As Mélanie and I often say, we never tire of walking through the interior of Basse-Terre. It’s always a pleasure.

For a short hike like this, I won’t spend too long on the practical details. I save the more extensive information for longer or more complex trails.

I’ve written a complete guide covering everything you need to know about visiting Guadeloupe. That’s the best place to start. Once you arrive, I recommend renting a car so you can explore the island more independently.

How you reach the Mamelle de Pigeon trail depends, of course, on where you’re starting. From Grande-Terre, take the Route des Mamelles, also known as the Route de la Traversée (RD 23). For reference:

• Allow around 40 minutes for the 30 km drive from Pointe-à-Pitre. Here is the route on Google Maps.
• From the town of Basse-Terre, the drive is longer: approximately one hour for 60 km. See the route here.

At a glance:

• Round-trip distance: 2.1 km
• Duration: approximately 1 hour 45 minutes
• Elevation gain: 161 m
• Return to starting point: YES
• Official trail: YES

You can download the GPS track for the hike here if needed.

There is no accommodation directly along the route, so you’ll need to stay on one side of Basse-Terre or the other. In my opinion, the west coast is the better choice, especially if you also want easy access to the coast. I’ve selected three places that may be worth considering:

• Les Galets Rouges: a recently opened property in the commune of Bouillante, with attractive rooms overlooking the sea, private pools, and attentive service.
• Les Gîtes de la Lézarde: another option, this time on the eastern side, in the Lézarde Valley. It offers pleasant double rooms and a shared swimming pool and is known for its warm welcome.
• Bungalow la Tortue Bleue: a small bed-and-breakfast offering a lovely bungalow with a pool and sea views. Guests particularly appreciate the bedding, private pool, and warm welcome.

The location is also ideal for exploring several other trails nearby. Here are a few ideas:

• La Mamelle de Petit-Bourg: another small summit just around the corner.
• La Trace de la Rivière Quiock: a forest trail we’ve wanted to tackle for a long time, crossing the river of the same name several times.
• Morne à Louis: another nearby summit we had not previously noticed, although it is no longer recommended because the trail is not maintained and the view from the top is now obstructed.
• The two loops around the Maison de la Forêt: two trails that let you experience the rainforest without taking on anything too strenuous.
• Cascade aux Écrevisses: it may not have the same wild feel as a waterfall reached after a long hike, but it has the advantage of being accessible to almost everyone. The walk takes about three minutes along a wooden boardwalk and is very straightforward.
• Trace du Petit Malendure: we’ve already completed this one—I still need to write the article—and it’s a very pleasant coastal hike, although it can be a little tiring on the legs, haha.

That wraps up our Mamelle de Pigeon hike. In good weather, it’s an enjoyable short walk with lovely views from the summit. For a longer hike nearby, take a look at our article about the Paradis waterfall in Vieux-Habitants, farther south on the west coast.

See you soon.

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!

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