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'Pointe-à-Pitre' is the main town of the French Caribbean island and French ''département d'outre-mer'' of Guadeloupe, of which it is a ''sous-préfecture''. Located in the west of Grande-Terre, Pointe-à-Pitre covers 26.6 km² (10.27 sq mi). At the census of 1999, its population was 20,948 inhabitants. The population density is 7,868 persons per sq. km. The inhabitants are called ''Pointois''. The airport is 3 km, north, near the village of Abymes.

Contents

History

Geography

Climate

Economy

Sights

Famous Pointois

Sister city

See also

External links

History

The town of Point with Clown, was creates by English in 1760. French recovered it later three years! Although rocambolesque, the history of Peter, to the hard life, whereas the etymology of the word, would bring back for the Creole 'pita' , or in Spanish, 'will pitera', that one finds in South America! Let us let involve itself by this history. an English fisherman, Peter, were accustomed to fishing on a named point, 'islot with the rats', in the current of the 17th century. Peter, sold his fish on the point, from where Pointe with Peter, then with the deformation of the French and creole language, Pointe with Clown!
When the French recovered the place, a borough created thanks to the maritime trade, The essort was important and relatively rapid, partly thanks to the corsairs unfortunately, in 1780, a fire monster entirely destroys the city. Sixty three years later, in 1843, it was again destroyed by an earthquake! The town of Point with Clown, did not have a chance, its history is marked by many fires, 1850, 1871, 1931, the earthquakes of 1851 and 1897, without forgetting the hurricanes of 1865 and 1928! Its population undergoes several epidemics of cholera which led it to the cemetery.

Geography

Pointe-à-Pitre is situated on the southwest portion of the island of Grade-Terre, facing the Caribbean Sea and is an ideal place in the center of Guadeloupe and is near the Salee River, which separates grade-Terre and Basse-Terre. The town of Point with Clown is encircled by the communes of Abymes and Gosier. Pointe-à-Pitre is on a limestone plateau, which was a factor for the construction the the city. The bay, Petit Cul-de-Sac Marin serves a port of commerce.

Climate

Like any other Eastern Caribbean city, Pointe-à-Pitre experiences quite evenly spread rainfall during the year, with a wetter season between July and November which coincides with hurricane season. The city receives 1500-2000 mm of rainfall. Tropical heat is the norm, bringing constant highs of around 32°C (89°F) that drop to 20°C (68°F) at night.
Trade winds, called alizés, blow from the northeast and often temper the climate.

Economy

The city is the commercial capital of Guadeloupe, serving as the main port of call for cargo, passengers. Agriculture is situated east where cattle rearing, banana and sugarcane growing continues. The nearby town of Gosier is a seaside resort with more than 5 resorts. The main exports are food crops(bananas, cocoa, coffee and sugar); animal products(beef, milk, yogurt) & manufactured goods(refined petroleum, textiles and medicines). Also, it has most of the government offices and parliamentary buildings.

Sights

Unfortunately, it doesn't have the old-world charm of Fort-de-France on Martinique, and what beauty it does possess is often hidden behind closed doors.
Colonial and modern buildings complement each other: white bungalows with red roofs are separated by tree-lined parks and a large market square. Modern apartments and condominiums form a high-rise backdrop over jerry-built shacks and industrial suburbs. The rather narrow streets are jammed during the day with a colorful crowd that creates a permanent traffic jam. However, at sunset the town becomes quiet again and almost deserted.
The city has many hotels and restaurants to suit your pleasure while staying in Guadeloupe.
Most visitors just drop in to Pointe-à-Pitre for shopping. It's best to visit the town in the morning (you can easily cover it in half a day), taking in the waterfront and outdoor market (the latter is livelier in the early hours).
Shopping is a main attraction where you can buy perfumes and other luxury made-in-France products. Rosebleu and A La Pensee on Rue Frebault are among the most popular places to shop. Rues de Nozieres and Schoelcher also have shops carrying French imports as well as madras cottons, watches, silver and china. Centre Saint-John Perse, on the harbor front, showcases many specialty shops, a hotel and several restaurants.
Place de la Victoire is the town center and also a park shaded by palm trees and poincianas. Here you'll see some old sandbox trees said to have been planted by Victor Hugues, the mulatto who organized a revolutionary army of both whites and blacks to establish a dictatorship. In this square he kept a guillotine busy, and the death-dealing instrument stood here until modern times.
Musée Saint-John Perse is a museum on 9 Nozières Street and it occupies an attractive 19th-century colonial building with ornate wrought-iron balconies. The museum is dedicated to the renowned poet and Nobel laureate Alexis Léger (1887-1975), better known as St John Perse, who grew up just down the street at No 54. The house offers both a glimpse of a period Creole home and displays on Perse's life and work.
Musée Victor Schoelcher is a museum that dedicates to the life of Victor Schoelcher, who was the chief organizer against slavery in Guadeloupe. The visitor will find exhibits and artifacts of the slave trade housed in a pink and white colonial period building.
La Cathédrale Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul features arches constructed of riveted iron girders, reflecting the influence of past hurricanes and earthquakes.
In Bas du Fort district, you can of course visit Fort Fleur D`Epee on the top of the hill. In the same area stands the Guadeloupe Aquarium where you can contemplate a lot of fishes.
La Fete des Cuisinieres or the Festival of the Women Cooks occurs in early August. To honor their patron Saint Lawrence, brightly clothed women carry baskets of food in processions to the cathedral. Banquets and dancing occur in the evening.

Famous Pointois

★ Saint-John Perse, (1887-1975), poet and diplomat, won the Noble Prize for Literature in 1960.

★ Guy Cornély, (1921-2005), scientist, botanist & historian .

★ Maryse Condé, (1937-), writer.

★ Michel Rovelas, (1939-), artist & painter

★ Patricia Girard-Léno, (1968-), athlete.

★ Lilian Thuram, (1972-), footballer.

★ Laura Flessel-Colovic, (1971-), fencer.

Sister city

The town of Orly, France is its sister city.

See also

★ Pointe-à-Pitre International Airport

External links

★ Official website (in French)