Carmelite Square

Landscape - Basse-Terre

This square is named for the Carmelite religious order that arrived in Guadeloupe in around 1651. Once the official venue for festivals and other events, in particular military parades, this square, now simply a pleasant place for strolling, features a magnificent fountain depicting the Three Graces. Overlooking the square, a 1780 quarry stone building now houses the Laure Abel elementary school. Although it has undergone extensive renovations, this building, which once belonged to a rich merchant, still bears its original cornices and window supports.