Un Petit Paradis

I've just returned from what has become an annual trek to Guadeloupe, in the French West Indies. It is a beautiful little island – two islands, actually – Grand Terre which is flat and green and has wonderful white sand beaches and Basse Terre where you find mountain rain forests, volcanoes and black sand beaches. It is sometimes called the butterfly island – for obvious reasons!



Like migrating Canadian geese, we always go to San François on the southeast tip of Grand Terre. There are a number of reasons for the choice: the only golf course on the island; some of the prettiest beaches; a lovely little hotel called La Cocoterie (The Coconut); but mostly…for the food! Imagine, you’re a classically-trained French chef who prefers sunshine and beaches to France in the winter. You move to Guadeloupe (which is something akin to moving from New York to Florida) and open a charming little restaurant right on the water. You have fresh seafood delivered every morning and all of the island’s natural produce to work with...what more could a chef want?
On this particular trip, we sat on the beach at La Cocoterie and watched while a typical island fishing boat with “Justin and Company” emblazoned on the side, tied-off at the hotel’s dock and a young man I can only assume was Justin, hauled buckets of fresh lobsters and sea bass into the hotel kitchen. One morning he had a shark!
We made a point of visiting our favorite restaurants in the area with mixed emotion. A longtime favorite, Zagaya, was a disappointment. It appears the woman who has run the kitchen for years has left and it is evident in everything from the service to the lack of creativity on the menu. What a shame. But lunch at the Golf Club for its famous Couscous did not disappoint! Nor did dinner at Le Vieux Port, a fixture of the waterfront restaurants since 1980. Odile, the chef, and her business partner Bernard have created a wonderful little spot decorated with oddities from India, silk scarves for table covers and bougainvillea everywhere! Odile uses all the local products in creative dishes with an Indian flair.
Beyond the usual activities (laying on the beach, water sports, golf or exploring the rain forest) I recommend spending one day on the Paradox, a catamaran trip to Petite Terre, where the crew fixes lunch on the beach!
I am sorry to report that La Cocoterie is looking a little tattered around the edges. The reception and pool are still wonderful, but the guest rooms are in desperate need of renovation. We were told that new owners are undertaking a major facelift over the next year, so let’s hope that’s true!
Guadeloupe is not a destination for those seeking the ultimate in luxury and pampering. I’d recommend St. Bart or St. Kitts for the luxury hounds. What Guadeloupe does offer is a true island experience, complete with laid-back service and cows along the road. Visitors do enjoy the reliable infrastructure of a department of France including good roads, dependable telephone and electric service, and very little poverty. Rental cars are easy to secure from the US, and driving around the island is quite easy. Travelers from the US connect in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to reach the capitol city of Pointe Pitre, although there are direct flights from Paris. (hey, there’s an idea…spend a week in Paris, then fly to Guadeloupe for some R&R)! Language can be a bit of a problem, as French is the official language and English isn’t widely spoken other than in hotels and some restaurants.
If you’ve ever visited Guadeloupe, share your experiences! There is always something to learn…
Good travels,
kd

Welcome to Journeys!

Hi! My name is Karen DeQuasie, and I'd like to welcome you to Journeys, the new travel blog from Balthasar Travel, Inc.
Whether you are an avid traveler with a dog-earred passport, or someone who enjoys discovering the world from an armchair, I hope you'll enjoy my new blog.
I have so many things I want to share with you! First, I'll be writing about my recent trip to Guadeloupe in the French West Indies, a "petit paradis" where I've traveled annually for the past 14 years. Then, I'll bring you my thoughts on my 9-day Caribbean cruise that I leave for on Friday. NCL's Norwegian Jewel will cruise to Samana, Dominican Republic, then on to Tortola, Antigua, Barbados and St. Lucia. Finally, I'll be reporting on my two-week trip to France and the Loire Valley over the Christmas and New Year's holiday season.
But this blog isn't just about what I'm doing - it's about what I'm planning for clients. As I do my research, I'll keep you posted on what's in the works and it will include a family adventure trip to Brazil, a honeymoon in Hawaii, a luxury trip to Athens and the Greek Isles, just to name a few.
I hope you'll jump in and tell us about your travel experiences as well.
Another feature of the blog will be travel tips, latest travel and tourism news (and gossip!) and a special section for travel offers and deals that come across my desk almost daily.
I think this will be fun, and I hope you do to. I look forward to hearing from everyone!
Good travels,
kd