Musée St-John Perse

Pointe-à-Pitre


This three-level municipal museum occupies an outstanding example of 19th-century colonial architecture and is dedicated to renowned poet and Nobel laureate Alexis Leger (1887–1975), better known by his nom de plume Saint-John Perse, who spent his childhood in Guadeloupe. The house offers a glimpse of a period Creole home and has displays on Perse’s life and work.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Pointe-à-Pitre attractions

1. Marché de la Darse

0.05 MILES

This popular market on the seafront in front of Place de la Victoire is Pointe-à-Pitre's main fruit-and-vegetable market. It's full of characters and you…

2. Cathédrale de St-Pierre et St-Paul

0.21 MILES

Rather than the traditional arches, this attractively painted sand-colored church, nicknamed the ‘Iron Cathedral,’ is supported by iron girders intended…

3. Mémorial ACTe

0.34 MILES

Top billing in the French Antilles goes to this huge museum of slavery, opened by President Hollande in 2015. Housed in a spectacular silver-latticework…

4. Marina de Bas du Fort

1.72 MILES

Between Pointe-à-Pitre and Gosier, this marina has excellent facilities and a large number of restaurants, bars and cafes.

5. Datcha Beach

3.52 MILES

Possibly Guadeloupe's best beach, Datcha is a dreamy strip of cream-hued sand, backed by shade-giving trees and fronted by calm, reef-protected sea. The…

6. Îlet du Gosier

3.93 MILES

Just 600m off Gosier is idyllic little Îlet du Gosier, surrounded by calm turquoise waters that have some good snorkeling. Motorboats (one way €5) shuttle…

7. Valombreuse Floral Park

7.91 MILES

Nestled in the hills west of Petit-Bourg, this mature 14-hectare botanical garden includes a wide range of tropical plants and flowers, a palmery, and…

8. Plage de la Caravelle

9.46 MILES

This headland of white sand about 2km west of Ste-Anne's center is one of Guadeloupe's very finest beaches – it's the Caribbean you probably came to see…