A Walk to Bassin Bleu in Guadeloupe

After six years in French Polynesia (yes, we have a soft spot for overseas territories), it was time for a change. As I write this, we arrived on the island of Guadeloupe, in the French Caribbean, just 15 days ago, after a long journey from Papeete to Paris and finally Pointe-à-Pitre. I won’t go into the reasons behind our decision here, but we needed to be closer to our family and, above all, were ready for a new experience. In this first article about Guadeloupe, we’re introducing you to one of the first places we had the chance to discover: Bassin Bleu. This beautiful spot lies deep within a lush tropical forest. You don’t need to join a guided excursion for this walk, as it is easy to do independently. There is also the option of going canyoning, which is a lot of fun!

When we arrived in Guadeloupe, the island was under lockdown and we were only allowed to travel within a 5 km radius, which made this short family hike especially convenient. After doing some online research to see what the area looked like and work out how to get there, we were delighted to set off and discover it for ourselves. Of course, we aren’t on vacation in Guadeloupe—we moved here—but living here is also a wonderful opportunity to explore this volcanic island. For another beautiful outing, take a look at the Cascade du Paradis hike in Vieux-Habitants.

Today’s plan is to explore Guadeloupe’s interior, or more specifically Basse-Terre, the island’s southern half, which is hillier, lusher, and greener than Grande-Terre to the north. I almost forgot to mention that Basse-Terre is where we’ll be living. From what we have seen so far, we’re genuinely happy to have settled on this side of Guadeloupe. It feels less developed, greener, and more natural, with a landscape shaped by mountains, waterfalls, rivers, and forest. And there are lovely black- and golden-sand beaches within easy reach, without having to spend too long in the car. We love it! The turquoise beaches and lagoons are mostly found on Grande-Terre, but that’s fine with us. We are also realizing just how many trails, botanical gardens, and short family-friendly walks the island has to offer. I have a feeling we’ll be publishing plenty more articles about our weekend outings as a family!

Anyway, back to Bassin Bleu. As usual, you’ll find everything you need to know about the walk and how to get there in the practical section at the bottom of the article. Bassin Bleu lies at the edge of Guadeloupe National Park, best known for La Soufrière volcano, in the commune of Gourbeyre in southern Basse-Terre. The walk begins at an elevation of around 550 meters on the well-known Plateau du Palmiste. Let’s go!

For another lovely spot nearby, be sure to discover Bassin des Amours in Gourbeyre.

We spent our first three weeks in an Airbnb in the hills above Saint-Claude, so we weren’t far from the trailhead. Once in Gourbeyre, we headed toward Plateau du Palmiste, an area above town at an elevation of more than 500 meters. A steep, winding road leads up to it. A viewpoint is signposted along one of the bends, but with the sky so overcast, we decided not to stop. It is surprising to find so many houses at this altitude on such a completely flat plateau. The air feels noticeably cooler up here.

We reached the roadside parking area where the walk begins, at the foot of Morne Lenglet and Morne Graine Verte. The weather looked so threatening that, I have to admit, we nearly turned around, especially when the first drops began to fall. Still, we decided to give it a try. With Teo settled in our hiking carrier and my camera gear packed, we set off along a paved road before continuing downhill on a dirt track bordered by fields. Despite the gloomy weather, the atmosphere was already lovely, largely thanks to the enormous ferns. At times, it almost felt as though we were back in New Zealand. After about 10 minutes, the trail entered what I like to call a “little tropical garden.” We crossed the small Bois Blanc gully, where barely any water was flowing. It is hard to put the entrance to the forest into words, but it has a special atmosphere, with moss, ferns, and towering trees all around us.

We followed the trail deeper into the forest at an easy pace, heading toward the mountain at the far end of the valley. I enjoyed testing my Sony A7III and several recently purchased lenses in real forest conditions while discovering the local wildlife and plant life. We have seen quite a few butterflies since arriving, and I still need to get properly acquainted with this camera! The dense vegetation has made a real impression on both Mélanie and me since we moved to Basse-Terre. In some places, if you ignored the heat, you might not even believe you were in the tropics. We had grown used to seeing coconut palms everywhere, whereas here we were surrounded by thick forest. Take the time to look closely and the sheer abundance becomes obvious. I really need to buy a guide to Guadeloupe’s flora and fauna. We passed beneath immense trees that sheltered us whenever the rain returned. There is a good reason I bought a macro lens: I want to capture all those tiny details…

The trail is wide, well maintained, and almost completely flat, making it manageable with children and a baby carrier. I can imagine it becomes very muddy after heavy rain, but conditions were still reasonable for us. Eventually, the trail narrows as it follows the Galion River, which feeds the pool farther upstream. After one final step over a fallen tree, we caught our first glimpse of the site from a distance. The path runs beside a flat area that forms the river’s floodplain. Sorry, that is the geographer in me coming out, but this is the part of the valley that floods when the river rises sharply. Rocks and boulders are scattered everywhere. Many locals come here to enjoy the setting and swim beneath two waterfalls that flow over the exposed rock face. I would love to return in better weather to see the pool’s colors more clearly, although a polarizing filter certainly helps bring out the beautiful tones in the water.

The setting is beautiful, surrounded by greenery. Louis decided to go for a swim in the pool at the foot of the rocks, tucked against the mountainside. Mélanie and I are far too sensitive to the cold to consider joining him—there are several hot springs on the island, and those sound much more appealing to us! We only dipped our feet in, but it was a start. We spent an hour here enjoying the place as a family. The pool is said to be approximately 2 meters deep. Upstream, several small waterfalls feed into it. I didn’t venture beyond the ropes, but there are apparently more pools a little higher up with similarly colored water. I’ll be sure to tell you more the next time I return. From here, it is apparently possible to reach the famous Cascade Parabole on an hour-long route through the forest and river. Mélanie and I later spent a morning there and loved it. With night approaching and the 7 p.m. curfew drawing near, it was time to head back. We had such a lovely time in this beautiful place.

Waterfall lovers should also go and discover the beautiful Galion Waterfall. Located at the foot of La Soufrière volcano, it can be reached on a lovely walk through the rainforest.

• Difficulty: very easy and suitable for families with children; take care near the pool, as the ground can be very slippery after heavy rain
• Duration: approximately 1 hour 30 minutes round trip
• Length: 2.2 km round trip
• Elevation gain: approximately 84 m
• Type: out and back
• Ideal: bring a small picnic for lunch
• Season: the dry season is preferable; in wet weather, check conditions and be cautious on slippery sections
• What to bring: a rain jacket, suitable shoes, and mosquito repellent

The map below shows the Bassin Bleu area. We have also written a complete guide to hiking in Guadeloupe, which we will continue updating as we explore more trails. You can also download the hike’s GPS track in .gpx format using the link below:

• The Blue Basin

I don’t know the area inside out yet, but according to the maps, you can also access:

• The “trace des poteaux” in the direction of the famous Flamarion lake,
• The “Etang de l’As de Pique” and the Boucle des étangs (ponds),
• Another longer access to get to the Parabole waterfall.
• Not far from there, you can also go hiking at the “Sentier de la Grande Pointe” in Trois-Rivières.

As I have done on the blog for more than four years, I’ve included the essential practical information at the end of the article.

First, as you might expect, you need to get to Guadeloupe. I have written a complete article covering the different options from France and other French-speaking regions for anyone planning to visit Guadeloupe. Traveling from mainland France is generally straightforward. I have personally used the Skyscanner flight comparison tool for years to compare routes and find the lowest-priced dates.

Flight schedules and fares change frequently, so it is best to compare your departure city and travel dates directly. Several airlines serve Guadeloupe, including Corsair, Air France, and Air Caraïbes. You can use this link to compare the cheapest dates.

From outside France, connections are also available from the United States, including Miami. You can compare fares here.

Once you arrive in Pointe-à-Pitre, renting a car is the most practical way to explore Guadeloupe.

To reach the trail, head to Basse-Terre. Saint-Claude is a convenient starting point, and here is a complete route from Saint-Claude to the Bassin Bleu parking area.

With a smartphone, you can also:

• Install the Maps.me app for offline maps. I saved the precise parking location here,
• Install the “Rando Guadeloupe” app (Android / Apple), where you will find many of the island’s hikes and walks, including Bassin Bleu. An internet connection is required to view some details, but routes can be downloaded for offline use,
• You can also view the complete track on the Wikiloc website.

There are plenty of places to stay in the area, from Airbnbs and hostels to villas with pools and hotels. Since we had only recently arrived, we didn’t know the area well enough to make personal recommendations, but we had heard very positive feedback about:

• BEL Z ‘IGUANE, a vacation home on Trois-Rivières, in a very beautiful setting,
• Le Jardin Malanga, a hotel that seems sublime and a few steps from our home and the Bassin Bleu,
• The Lodge Les Bananes Vertes, a marvel, “Ecolabel” in the middle of nature!

If you live in the area, feel free to share your favorite places in the comments so we can add them!

For a more adventurous—and admittedly more challenging—outing, the Moustique Canyon hike is another beautiful option.

That brings us to the end of our first article about Bassin Bleu in Guadeloupe. I hope you enjoyed coming along on this short walk and discovering the site with us. In our opinion, it is well worth visiting for anyone who loves nature. We plan to keep exploring Guadeloupe as much as possible, as the island already seems beautiful in so many ways. And that is without even mentioning Guadeloupe’s other islands—Marie-Galante, La Désirade, Les Saintes, and more—which we can’t wait to discover. From the little we have seen so far, the possibilities feel almost endless: white-sand beaches, mangrove walks, swimming with turtles, exploring the underwater world, Carnival, bathing in hot springs, hiking through lush vegetation, and sailing between the surrounding islands on a catamaran. You get the idea!

For a lovely place to stay on Basse-Terre, we spent a few nights at Jardin des Colibris in Deshaies, a beautiful property that is well worth discovering.

See you soon for more adventures.

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!