Villas in Guadeloupe

Deshaies suits calm Caribbean-side beaches and rainforest, Saint-François and Sainte-Anne suit white sand near the airport. Most of our homes are in Deshaies, on the north-west tip of Basse-Terre, about an hour's drive from the airport. There are no direct flights from London, so most people connect in Paris, and you will need a car.

Where

Villas: 27
Nearest airports: Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe Pôle Caraïbes) on Grande-Terre. There are no direct flights from London: connect in Paris, where Air France, Air Caraïbes and Corsair fly to Guadeloupe in around eight and a half hours. Guadeloupe is part of France, so euros are used and French is spoken everywhere.

Where to stay in Guadeloupe

Deshaies (north-west Basse-Terre)

Most of our Guadeloupe homes are in and above Deshaies, a small fishing village on a sheltered bay, known in the UK as the filming location for the BBC detective series set on the fictional island of Saint Marie. Grande Anse, a long beach of golden sand backed by trees, is just north of the village, and the botanical garden is on the hill behind. The Cousteau reserve at Malendure, for snorkelling around the Pigeon islets, is around 40 minutes south.

Best for: Couples and families who want a calm bay, forest walks and village restaurants

Not for you if: You want a short airport transfer: allow around an hour, sometimes more in traffic.

Saint-François and Sainte-Anne (Grande-Terre south coast)

Grande-Terre is flatter and drier than Basse-Terre, with white sand and reef-sheltered water. Sainte-Anne has the long Caravelle beach and a busy seafront market. Saint-François, further east, has a marina, a golf course and boats to Marie-Galante and La Désirade. Pointe des Châteaux, a rocky headland with Atlantic views, is about 15 minutes beyond. The airport is around 30 to 45 minutes away.

Best for: White-sand beaches, a marina and the shortest airport transfer

Not for you if: You mind the risk of sargassum seaweed, which can wash onto this coast in some summers.

Sainte-Rose (north Basse-Terre)

Sainte-Rose is a fishing town on the edge of the Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin, a lagoon of mangroves, reef and small sandy islets such as Ilet Caret, reached by boat from the harbour. Several rum distilleries are close by, and Deshaies is around 25 minutes west. Clugny beach nearby is wild and has strong currents, so swim with care. The airport is about 45 minutes away.

Best for: Boat trips across the lagoon and visits to rum distilleries

Not for you if: You want a choice of homes: we have only one here.

Saint-Claude (below La Soufrière)

Saint-Claude sits on the green slopes above Basse-Terre town, the island's administrative capital. It is the closest base for the La Soufrière volcano, where the summit trail starts from a car park higher up the mountain and the top is often in cloud. Waterfalls such as the Chutes du Carbet are around 45 minutes away. Allow an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half to the airport.

Best for: Hikers who want to climb the volcano early in the day

Not for you if: You want to wake up by the sea: it is cooler, wetter and inland.

Terre-de-Haut (Les Saintes)

Terre-de-Haut is the main island of Les Saintes, south of Basse-Terre. Its village is a strip of shops and restaurants along the bay, overlooked by Fort Napoléon, and beaches such as Pompierre are a short walk away. Ferries from Trois-Rivières take around 20 minutes, and from Pointe-à-Pitre around an hour. Our single home here suits a few nights as part of a longer trip.

Best for: A slower few days on a small island with a fort and sheltered bay

Not for you if: You want to drive: the island is tiny and you get around on foot, scooter or electric buggy.

When to go to Guadeloupe

The dry season, roughly December to April, is the busiest and most expensive time, especially around French school holidays at Christmas, in February and at Easter. May and June are quieter and still mostly dry. Hurricane season runs from June to November, with the highest risk from August to October, and these months are hot, humid and wetter, particularly on Basse-Terre. Sargassum seaweed has affected the Atlantic-facing beaches of Grande-Terre in many recent years, usually between spring and late summer; the Caribbean side around Deshaies is less exposed.