Pointe des Châteaux

Pointe des Châteaux is the rocky eastern tip of Grande-Terre, where the flat Caribbean island becomes something else entirely — a windswept headland of jagged limestone cliffs, pounding Atlantic surf, and views stretching to the islands of La Désirade and Marie-Galante on the horizon. It is the most dramatic scenery on Grande-Terre and a complete contrast to the calm beach towns on the south coast.

A short trail leads from the car park to the large cross at the headland, passing between eroded limestone formations. The wind here is reliable and can be fierce; the Atlantic crashes against the base of the cliffs on the north side while the south side is calmer. Allow an hour for the walk and the views. The headland is popular on weekends; arriving in the morning gives you the best light and the smallest crowds.

things to do sight
A story
The name "Châteaux" — castles — comes from the castellated appearance of the eroded limestone stacks rising from the sea at the point. From a distance they do look like the broken towers of a submerged fortress, which gave sailors a vivid navigational landmark on what was otherwise an undistinguished coastline.