Guadeloupe

Through the plane window, I watched the vegetation slowly appear. I remember telling Mélanie: "It looks like the Outer Banks!" That dense, lush vegetation, those shades of green… it was completely different from what I was used to seeing. Even before landing, I was already in awe.

We picked up our rental car and headed to our Airbnb in Sainte-Anne. We stayed above a Guadeloupean family. Our host was lovely. She told us about her little tortoises, her job as a school headmistress, and life on the island. I loved those conversations. That's what I love about travelling: discovering a destination through the people who live there.

Car rentalA little blue Dacia booked through Rentalcars→

The next day, we set off to discover our first beach, in the north of Grande-Terre. I remember it as if it were yesterday. We were walking along a little path that, honestly, didn't look like much. We almost wondered where it was taking us. Then, all at once, the palm trees opened up and this beach appeared before us.

We looked at each other. There was no one there. And when I say no one… I mean truly no one.

We ran like kids to put on our masks and snorkels, we were so excited. I still have a story that makes me laugh today: I'd bought a full-face mask just before the trip. Like a fool, I lay down on the sand wearing it… it stuck completely to my face and I couldn't breathe!

But my fondest memory of that beach isn't even that. It's the three of us. Swimming while holding hands underwater. Those moments when you look at your friends with sparkling eyes and no one needs to say a word. We simply felt invincible.

Very quickly, we settled into Guadeloupe's rhythm. Over there, you live by the sun. You forget the time a little. You stroll. You spend hours in the water. You eat when you're hungry. You enjoy.

One morning, we set off to discover Pointe des Châteaux at sunrise. I love those wake-ups while it's still dark. You grab your headlamp, your backpack, and you feel like you're heading off on an adventure.