Les Abymes: Remembrance, Culture and Landscape

A trip to Les Abymes offers different points of focus depending on the places you visit: at Morne de la Mémoire, remembrance and cultural events take center stage; a viewpoint surrounded by vegetation looks out over the northwest of Les Abymes. Taonaba adds wetlands and water activities to the regional picture as part of the wider destination of Les Abymes. You can tailor your stay around a memorial site, landscape or wetland.

Remembrance and Culture at Morne de la Mémoire

Morne de la Mémoire is a place of remembrance and cultural events, including Léwoz. A tribute to the ancestors is held there every year on May 26. The names of 1,425 families are engraved in gold letters on five books of remembrance. These names were given in 1848 to about 2,734 people who had been freed from enslavement and had lived and worked on various plantations in Les Abymes. The information thus connects family names and the tribute to the ancestors with the historical link to the plantations in Les Abymes.

The books of remembrance and the tribute held on the same date each year mark different aspects of the site: the names are permanently engraved in the books, while May 26 is a recurring calendar date for the tribute. Léwoz and other cultural events add to the site's role. If you are interested in the culture of remembrance, both the names on display and the cultural significance of Morne de la Mémoire are central here.

Stations of the Cross and Views of the Landscape

Another historical point of reference is the Stations of the Cross leading to the Notre Dame de Guadeloupe chapel at the summit of Morne du Calvaire. The Stations of the Cross were completed in 1878 and renovated in 1998. The two dates mark different stages in their history: their completion and a later renovation. As a named route leading to the chapel, they add a distinct historical and religious dimension to the memorial site.

A viewpoint surrounded by vegetation offers a different perspective, looking out over the northwest of Les Abymes. Here, the focus is on the landscape rather than the history of a structure. The memorial site, Stations of the Cross and viewpoint each offer a different focus for your travel interests.

Taonaba in the Wider Destination of Les Abymes

Taonaba is part of the regional context of Les Abymes. There, the Maison de la Mangrove includes a museum building dedicated to wetlands. The museum building may have irregular opening hours, so check whether it is open before visiting.

The route through Taonaba passes in turn through a swamp forest, wet meadows alongside the canal and mangroves on wooden walkways. This sequence takes you through different wetland landscapes, connecting the swamp forest with the meadows along the canal and the mangroves. Depending on the season, Taonaba offers a nautical base for kayak or canoe trips on the Canal de Belle-Plaine. Since this option is seasonal, it is advisable to check whether trips are currently operating before making plans. Taonaba also provides access to the Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin from the Les Abymes side.

The timing of these experiences differs when planning your trip: the tribute at Morne de la Mémoire takes place every year on May 26, while kayak or canoe trips at Taonaba are seasonal. If you are particularly interested in either option, you can take the relevant period into account when planning and check in advance whether water activities are operating. When choosing a hotel, you can then consider the features that matter to you in the specific offer.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Louis, Gros Cap, Capesterre-de-Marie-Galante, Morne-à-l'Eau, Haut de la Montagne, Dubedou, Bazin, Le Moule.

Back to the wider travel guide: Grande-Terre.