The Isles des Saintes are universally known as the Saintes. They are a group of small islands a few miles south of the French island of Guadeloupe.
Although they are administered by Guadeloupe, they have a unique charm, and they seem to have avoided the worst of modern development. Indeed, not much has changed since I first went there in 1972.
The Saintes sprang into nautical prominence in 1782. The previous year, the French admiral de Grasse had landed troops in Virginia, in support of George Washington’s fight against the British. He then went on to thrash the British fleet under Admiral Graves, and pretty much ensured the success of the American Revolution.
Hot from this conquest, feeling his luck was in, de Grasse decided to go and capture Jamaica from the Brits. He might well have succeeded in this but for two things: he decided to team up with a Spanish fleet, and Admiral Rodney arrived in the Caribbean just in time to learn of the dastardly plan.
Rodney set off in pursuit and caught the combined fleet as it was assembling near the Saintes. Had he not lingered for the Spanish but sailed straight for Jamaica, there is little doubt that Rodney could not have caught them, and Jamaicans would probably be speaking French now.
But catch them he did, and a bloody battle was fought. In those days, battles were fought to a strict protocol. The usual form was for the ships to form lines and sail past each other on a reciprocal course, shooting each other as they went by.
A wind shift at the wrong moment caused the French line of ships to break into sections. The Brits, rather unsportingly in the eyes of the French, sailed through the gaps, blasting ships on either side of them. The French cried foul, but the battle was lost. Most of the French ships were sunk, and more than 6,000 French sailors perished. The battle is known as The Battle of the Saintes.
Having suffered a bloody nose, the French decided to make sure they could at least hang onto their possessions of Martinique and Guadeloupe, and to this end they set about fortifying the Saintes, which gave handy protection to the south coast of Guadeloupe.
They built the imposing Fort Napoleon on the hill overlooking the main anchorage off Bourg, and the slightly less imposing Fort Josephine on the top of the island of Terre d’en Basse, facing the anchorage.

Bourg: the only town
The only town, Bourg, is on the island of Terre d’en Haut. It is a wonderful collection of traditional houses huddled around the village square, which is in front of the Maire, the town hall.
Despite what it says in several of the cruising guides, you can clear in and out of Bourg, and it is absolutely painless. You can usually clear in and out at the same time, and just one form covers all that is needed. I wish some of the other islands were as easy.
To clear, go to the Maire, walk down the right-hand side of the building, and you will see what looks like a small annex at the back. Go there, and inside on the right is the office marked “police.” They will take care of everything. We have always found them friendly and helpful, especially if you can manage a smattering of French.
Once the form is completed, they fax it to Guadeloupe. You have to wait for them to fax it back, but this is no chore if you go and enjoy a coffee and croissant in one of the many waterfront bars, and return an hour or so later.
They have always let us clear out a few days in advance and there is no charge. For me, they get the Gold Star for making clearing the easiest in the entire Caribbean Basin.

There are anchorage options
We generally stay anchored off Bourg as there is a lot to do right there. If it gets too rolly, which it tends to if a big north swell is running, then there are several other anchorages to choose from, according to the wind and swell.
When anchored off Bourg it is well worth taking a walk up the hill to Fort Napoleon. It was completed in 1867, is remarkably well preserved, and houses a good museum.
In the museum is a display depicting the tactics and results of the Battle of the Saintes, as well as local items of interest, including some examples of the fast-disappearing “Santoise” fishing boats. The museum is open only in the mornings, and there is a small admission charge.
Another good, slightly more strenuous walk is up to the lookout on top of Le Chameau, the camel, on the south side of the bay. From here you can see all of the Saintes, a good part of Guadeloupe and, on a clear day, much of Dominica.
The way is marked “Le Chameau” from the road that runs around the waterfront.
In town, most grocery supplies can be bought, including, of course, French bread and croissants. In recent years numerous small boutiques and gift shops have sprung up.
Some of them offer interesting things, a cut above the usual run-of-the-mill T-shirt shops.
On the waterfront in Bourg is the Yacht Club des Saintes, owned and run by a helpful chap called Jerome. He can supply water via a buoy moored off his yacht club, and is a fount of knowledge. He can be called on the VHF on channel 68 as “Jerome.”
There is a small shipyard, a sailmaker and little chandlery in Marigot Bay. If anchored off Bourg, it is not a difficult walk, or you can rent a motor-scooter to get there.
Marigot lies to the east of Fort Napoleon, and in reasonable weather it is quite a good anchorage.
If the local folk cannot supply what you need, in many cases they will arrange to get stuff sent over on one of the many ferries that run between the Saintes and Guadeloupe.
No visit to the Saintes is complete without tasting the local delicacy, the “tourment d’amour,” the agony of love. Small stands beside the road sometimes sell them, or ladies in town sell them from a basket. They are sweet tarts with a coconut base. Traditionally they were eaten by the ladies of the islands to ease the agony of missing their lovers who had gone to sea.
It is dubious that their supposed pharmaceutical properties work with any degree of reliability, but I can vouch for the fact that they are tasty.

Capt. John Campbell has been yacht captain for more than 20 years and a sailor all his life. He is currently in command of the 45m S/Y Timoneer. Comments on this story are welcome at editorial@the-triton.com.