Regional Notes
Guadeloupe
GOVERNMENT
Guadeloupe is an overseas territory of France. It includes the nearby smaller islands of Marie Galante and Desirade, and the tiny island groups of Iles des Saintes and Petite Terre. The islands of St Barts and St Martin (French side) also belong to Guadeloupe, but they are more distant, and more international in orientation.
MONEY
The offical currency in Guadeloupe is the French franc. Major credit cards are accepted, and ATM's which dispense francs for credit cards are common. Service charges and taxes are added to restaurant bills, etc. routinely.
COMMUNICATIONS
There is a modern telephone system, which uses phone cards in most call boxes. Phone cards can be bought at post offices.
LANGUAGE & CULTURE
Guadeloupe has a vigorous and renowned French creole culture. There is also a Hindu presence. The official language is French; most people speak Creole. Polite conversations are expected to open with the greeting 'bonjour'. Some English is spoken in the main towns.
Beachwear should be restricted to the beach, but dressing in the evening is not formal: men are not required to wear tie and jacket.
There are bus services, except after the early evening and on Sundays. Buses will stop on request between stops. Taxis are expensive, but hire cars and motor cycles are available and any valid driving licence is accepted. Hire cars may need to be reserved in advance between December and April. Driving is on the right.
Public Holidays
New Year's Day, Easter (Ash Wednesday, Good Friday and Easter Monday), Labor Day (May 1), Victory Day (May 8), Ascension Thursday (40th day after Easter), Pentecost Monday (8th Monday after Easter), Slavery Abolition Day (May 27), Bastille Day (July 14), Schoelcher Day (July 21), Assumption Day (August 15), All Saints Day (November 1), Armistice Day (November 11), Christmas Day.
HEALTH
As a Department of France, Guadeloupe has excellent health facilities. The hospital is on Tel 89-10-10, ambulance 87-65-43, sea rescue 71-92-92.
People travelling from areas of yellow fever or smallpox infection will need a vaccination certificate.
IMPORTANT ADDRESSES, CONSULATES etc.
American Consular Agent, 9 rue des Alpinias, Didier, Fort de France, MARTINIQUE. Tel (596) 71-96-90, or (596) 71-96-74 after hours.
British Honorary Consul, 23 rue Sadi Carnot, 197110 Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe. Tel (590) 825757.
Canadian High Commission, Bishop's Court Hill, St. Michael, Barbados. Postal address: P.O. Box 404, Bridgetown, BARBADOS. Tel 1 (246) 429-3550.
SPECIAL FEATURES
The main island of Guadeloupe is shaped like a butterfly: in reality it is two islands, separated by a navigable passage, the Riviere Salee ('Salt River'). The eastern island is called Grand Terre, ('Great Land') , the western Basse Terre ('Low Land'), but these names may refer to winds, not to the land features, which are the reverse of what the names suggest. Guadeloupe has an active volcano, Soufriere.
Regional Links
The Locations
Served from http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/gp.html