Soufrière, Saint Lucia
Encyclopedia
Soufrière
is a quarter
on the Southwest coast of Saint Lucia
in the West Indies. Soufrière was the former capital of Saint Lucia during times of French rule. It is now a small sleepy fishing port with an emerging tourism industry. It boasts several attractions including a "drive-in" volcano, the Diamond Botanical Gardens with waterfall (briefly featured in the Superman II
movie) and historic mineral baths, plus the nearby black sand
beaches of Anse Chastanet
to the north and Malgretout to the south.
The town is reputed to be the birth place of Napoleon's Empress Josephine de Beauharnais
. Although the exact locale of her birth is disputed by historians, it is certain that the Empress spent much of her childhood in the town on her father's plantation.
Framing the town to the south are the picturesque Pitons
- comprising the Gros Piton
and Petit Piton
. They rise directly up from the coral reef beds and form part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The region is popular for snorkeling and scuba diving.
Soufrière doubled as the fictional town Port Agnes, capital of the equally fictional island of Cascara in the 1985 comedy movie Water. The movies Creature
and White Squall
were also filmed there.
Soufrière
-Towns and villages:*Soufrière, Dominica, a village on the southwest coast of Dominica in the Caribbean.*Petit Soufrière, Dominica, a village on the east coast of Dominica.*Soufrière, a town in Saint Lucia in the Caribbean.-Landforms:...
is a quarter
Quarters of Saint Lucia
||The island of Saint Lucia is divided into 11 quarters:# Anse la Raye# Castries# Choiseul# Dauphin# Dennery# Gros Islet# Laborie# Micoud# Praslin# Soufrière# Vieux Fort-District statistics:...
on the Southwest coast of Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
in the West Indies. Soufrière was the former capital of Saint Lucia during times of French rule. It is now a small sleepy fishing port with an emerging tourism industry. It boasts several attractions including a "drive-in" volcano, the Diamond Botanical Gardens with waterfall (briefly featured in the Superman II
Superman II
Superman II is the 1980 sequel to the 1978 superhero film Superman and stars Gene Hackman, Christopher Reeve, Terence Stamp, Ned Beatty, Sarah Douglas, Margot Kidder, and Jack O'Halloran. It was the only Superman film to be filmed by two directors...
movie) and historic mineral baths, plus the nearby black sand
Black sand
Black sand is sand that is black in color. One type of black sand is a heavy, glossy, partly magnetic mixture of usually fine sands, found as part of a placer deposit. Another type of black sand, found on beaches near a volcano, consists of tiny fragments of lava.While some beaches are...
beaches of Anse Chastanet
Anse Chastanet
Anse Chastanet is a beach north of the town of Soufrière, Saint Lucia. It is known for excellent scuba diving and snorkeling. The scuba diving is spectacular, and many of the reefs are accessible by simply swimming a few metres out from the beach...
to the north and Malgretout to the south.
The town is reputed to be the birth place of Napoleon's Empress Josephine de Beauharnais
Joséphine de Beauharnais
Joséphine de Beauharnais was the first wife of Napoléon Bonaparte, and thus the first Empress of the French. Her first husband Alexandre de Beauharnais had been guillotined during the Reign of Terror, and she had been imprisoned in the Carmes prison until her release five days after Alexandre's...
. Although the exact locale of her birth is disputed by historians, it is certain that the Empress spent much of her childhood in the town on her father's plantation.
Framing the town to the south are the picturesque Pitons
Pitons
The Pitons are two volcanic plugs in a World Heritage Site in Saint Lucia. The Gros Piton is 771 m, and the Petit Piton is 743 m high; they are linked by the Piton Mitan ridge.- Geography :...
- comprising the Gros Piton
Gros Piton
Gros Piton is one of two mountains south of the town Soufrière in the southwest of Saint Lucia. Lying at the southern end of Pitons Bay, it rises to a height of 786 m . It is the second highest peak on Saint Lucia, after Mount Gimie....
and Petit Piton
Petit Piton
Petit Piton is one of two mountains overlooking Soufrière Bay in the southwest of Saint Lucia. Petit Piton lies towards the middle of the bay, south of the town of Soufrière and north of the larger mountain, Gros Piton, to which it is linked by the Piton Mitan Ridge. Petit Piton rises to a height...
. They rise directly up from the coral reef beds and form part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The region is popular for snorkeling and scuba diving.
Soufrière doubled as the fictional town Port Agnes, capital of the equally fictional island of Cascara in the 1985 comedy movie Water. The movies Creature
Creature (film)
Creature is a 1985 film directed by William Malone.-Plot:Creature is about a team of space explorers that encounters on the base on Titan a vicious alien creature that has the ability to manipulate its victims after death...
and White Squall
White Squall (film)
White Squall is a 1996 American drama feature film, directed by Ridley Scott.-Plot:The film is based on the fate of the brigantine Albatross, which sank on 2 May 1961, allegedly because of a white squall. The film relates the ill-fated school sailing trip led by Dr. Christopher B. Sheldon , whom...
were also filmed there.
Local attractions
- The Pitons: Gros Piton and Petit Piton are two giant volcanic plugs located south of Soufrière and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Sulphur SpringsSulphur SpringsSulphur Springs may refer to the following locations:*United States:**Sulphur Springs, Arkansas**Sulphur Springs, Indiana**Sulphur Springs, Missouri**Sulphur Springs, Ohio**Sulphur Springs, Tampa, Florida**Sulphur Springs, Texas...
: Soufrière is located within the calderaCalderaA caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic feature usually formed by the collapse of land following a volcanic eruption, such as the one at Yellowstone National Park in the US. They are sometimes confused with volcanic craters...
of the dormant QualibouQualibouQualibou, also known as the Soufrière Volcanic Centre is a 3.5 X 5 km wide caldera on the island of Saint Lucia that formed approximately 32-39,000 years ago...
volcano and the area is geothermally active. Marketed as a drive-through volcano, there are numerous hot springs and fumaroles. - Soufrière EstateSoufrière EstateSoufrière Estate was originally established in 1713 as a estate granted to three Devaux brothers for services to King Louis XIV of France. Later on, mineral springs were discovered and were used as restorative baths by the French soldiers...
: Also known as Diamond Estate, this is an old colonial estate that is home to a botanical garden, sulphur baths and Diamond Falls. - Fond Doux Estate: A working plantation where cacao is still processed.
- St Lucia's Rainforest: There are several rainforest trails in the area with spectacular views, abundant wildlife and several waterfalls such as the Enbas Saut Falls.
- Anse ChastanetAnse ChastanetAnse Chastanet is a beach north of the town of Soufrière, Saint Lucia. It is known for excellent scuba diving and snorkeling. The scuba diving is spectacular, and many of the reefs are accessible by simply swimming a few metres out from the beach...
: A resort with a beautiful beach and there are several trails along the coast.