Grands Fonds

Landscape - Sainte-Anne

Grands Fonds is the name of Sainte-Anne’s inland backcountry. With its unusual geography and topography, it resembles a sort of giant waffle dropped down in the middle of Grande-Terre Island. Its many small valleys (the so-called “fonds” or “bottoms”) are separated by sometimes elongated hills called “mornes” that criss-cross one another in places. Some of the valleys resemble “bowls,” which explains why the remotest parts of this region were so difficult to access for so long. Lush and verdant, Grands Fonds is also referred to as “Guadeloupe’s Salad bowl,” as it offers perfect conditions for growing fruits and vegetables. The richness and diversity of this region’s ecosystems make it unique in the world. An estimated 90% of the medicinal plants present in Guadeloupe may be found here. Cacao, coffee, and orange trees grow in rare harmony in this soil, which is both chalky and clay-like. The “Cupania Americana“ tree is also found here, one of the few places where it may be enjoyed. A special site deserving of special protections.