You may know the tiny fishing village of Deshaies in Guadeloupe for its alter ego: Saint Marie, the fictional island in the popular BBC series “Death in Paradise,” in which a series of UK-based detectives are sent to solve crimes in the heart of the Caribbean.
But the real Deshaies is one of my favorite Caribbean towns: low-key, charming, beach-filled and blessed with a robust culinary soul.
It’s the last one that’s so impressive: no matter where you dine in Deshaies, you’re bound to find a world-class meal, whether you’re savoring fresh-caught marlin or some of the world’s most exotic game.
Deshaies, set on the lush, volcanic island of Basse-Terre in Guadeloupe, has the Caribbean Sea on its west side and the rainforest to its east; it’s anchored by a thin boulevard edged with small shops and eateries.
There are quite a few hotels, too, from the larger Langley Fort Royal resort (the biggest in the area, with rooms from $186) to the breezy, eco-chic Tendacayou up in the hills, home to a fantastic spa, rustic-and-colorful rooms and a delicious hillside restaurant. If you go to the Langley, make sure you go for one of the little bungalow-style rooms right on the sand.
The most exotic — and, in my opinion, the best — is La Savane, the beachfront restaurant with an African theme and a marvelous, eclectic menu that even includes periodic dishes like filet de kangaroo. Yes, you heard that right, although the marlin is the star.
But you can’t go wrong with a fork on this strip, whether you’re dining on one of Guadeloupe’s true specialties, bokit, the French Caribbean version of the “bake.” I love them with salted cod (morue) but they come in a number of permutations.
The routine is simple: start with a ti’ punch, the French Caribbean’s legendary cocktail of rhum agricole, pure cane sugar and lime (do like a local and order it without ice); then some fresh tartare to start, followed by seafood that was just caught that morning. It’s an easy, always-successful formula, one you’ll never want to stop repeating.
When it comes to restaurants in Deshaies, I also love L’amer, which has outstanding tartare, grilled lobster and a glorious seaside perch (along with some of the best coffee you’ll ever consume).
As for Deshaies itself, beyond its picturesque buildings and Death in Paradise filming locations, you can explore the rainforest, head to several different, equally spectacular beaches or, a short drive away head for one of the top rum distilleries in the Caribbean: the venerable Reimonenq, where the white rum is outstanding and its range of aged rums is even better (particularly the nine-year expression).
Basse-Terre is actually filled with great rum distilleries to check out, which you can do a single-day trip if you’re staying in this town.
If you love the French Caribbean, you’ll immediately fall in love with Deshaies. It’s a bit like a smaller, less-populous Grand Case, or an absolutely miniature, single-street Gustavia. And it’s not likely to change anytime soon; Deshaies is at least an hour from the airport in Pointe a Pitre, and it remains crowd-free, tucked away between the jungle and the sand.
It’s a bit remarkable, for all of the BBC show’s international acclaim, that this little town still remains a well-guarded secret.
And it’s yours to discover.
How do you get to Guadeloupe? For American travelers, there are few nonstop options: fly one of American’s handful of flights per week from Miami, or fly from Miami on Air France, also just a few times per week. Unsurprisingly, it’s this limited air access from the US that makes Guadeloupe itself such an endearing, unique place. The other way is to fly to St Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport and then connect on a regional carrier like Air Antilles.
