Saint-François is the most resort-oriented town on Grande-Terre's south coast — a former fishing village that was developed in the 1970s into a destination with a marina, casino, golf course, and a string of good beaches. It sits near the eastern end of the south coast, about 45 km from Pointe-à-Pitre, and makes a comfortable base for exploring this end of the island.
The marina is a good place to arrange water activities: boat trips to La Désirade (visible on clear days), snorkelling excursions to the offshore reef, and sailing charters. The town beaches are calm, sheltered, and lined with sea-grape trees. The casino, golf, and a regular market (the Wednesday and Sunday markets are the most active) give Saint-François more to do in the evenings than other beach towns on Grande-Terre.