Vieux Fort: Coast, Sports and History
Accommodation in Vieux Fort
Coast, Sports and Scenery Around Vieux Fort
Anse Sable is a popular spot for windsurfing and kitesurfing, giving Vieux Fort a tangible connection to water sports. This is a clear focus for trip planning alongside local history and scenery: Cape Moule à Chique overlooks the town’s industrial port, while a lighthouse with its own history stands at the southern end of the island. This gives travelers interested in water sports, as well as those interested in scenery and history, specific points of interest.
Cape Moule à Chique rises above Vieux Fort Bay and overlooks the town’s industrial port. The bay, headland and port are the specific features that define this landscape. The Moule-a-Chique Lighthouse was built in 1912. It stands on Moule-a-Chique, the southernmost point of the island, about 730 feet above sea level. Its construction date and location make it possible to place the lighthouse in both a historical and geographical context.
The Maria Islands are also part of the destination’s surrounding area. In 1982, the Government of Saint Lucia declared them a nature reserve because of their particular importance as a wildlife habitat and their unique flora and fauna. More than 80 plant species are found on the islands. Their protected status and plant diversity offer nature enthusiasts a distinct point of interest in the region.
Local History and Sports
The history of Hewanorra International Airport dates back to World War II, when Beane Army Airfield was built in Vieux Fort. The airfield was later expanded and is now Hewanorra International Airport, the island’s main airport. The airport is in the Vieux Fort region and serves as Saint Lucia’s long-haul airport. Both the site’s historical development and the airport’s present-day role help visitors orient themselves in the region.
Sports offer another specific point of interest. Vieux Fort National Stadium is a multipurpose facility currently used for football matches. Along with the popular windsurfing and kitesurfing spot at Anse Sable, these are two distinct sporting attractions: water sports and the current use of a multipurpose facility for football.
Saint Lucia in the Wider Travel Context
Within the wider destination of Saint Lucia, the Pitons Management Area lies in the southwest of the island. It is a multipurpose area for conservation and management. Gros Piton and Petit Piton rise 770 and 743 meters above the sea, respectively, and are connected by Piton Mitan Ridge. Petroglyphs and various artifacts in the Pitons Management Area bear witness to the history of the indigenous Caribs, who inhabited what is now the area. Thus, Saint Lucia’s landscape and evidence of indigenous history stand side by side.
The coastlines can also be distinguished by their geographical location: Anse Cochon is a quiet bay on Saint Lucia’s west coast, between Soufrière and Canaries. Grand Anse Beach stretches along the island’s east coast. These examples offer a further overview of the geographical diversity of the wider destination.
Discover more destinations: Vieux Fort, Gros Islet, Castries, Soufrière
Go to the wider travel overview: Saint Lucia.
