Saint Lucia...Simply beautiful.... Our Island, Our History...

Saint Lucia is a tropical paradise located in the Caribbean north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique.  There is much dispute about who the original discoverer of the island was- Christopher Columbus or Juan de la Cosa but evidence indicates that island was discovered between 1499 and 1502.  In the 1550's the notorious European buccaneer Francois le Clerc, a.k.a. Jambe de Bois, or Wooden Leg. Peg-Leg le Clerc set a base at Pigeon Island (which at the time was not part of the mainland) where he could would attack Spanish galleons.  Somewhere around the 1600's the Dutch arrives in Saint Lucia and set up a base in Vieux Fort. 

By mid century the French had arrived and organised the island's settlements beginning with the now romantic town of Soufriere which still reflects the French heritage.   By 1780 they had developed twelve settlements and a large number of sugar plantations.  The British were definitely not happy with this and in 1779 had launched their first invasion at the Battle of Cul De Sac. 

In 1763, the French and British (who had fought for the island fourteen times both winning seven times) had signed the Treaty of Paris where the British gained control over the island.  In 1979 the island finally gained Independence.

Throughout Saint Lucia both French and British influences are still very strong with the primary language being English but French Creole is spoken by most of the population.  Flower Festivals such as the La Marguerite and La Rose are all part of the island's French heritage.

Pigeon Island

Soufriere