The Living Landscape

The geography itself tells the story of these islands. Volcanic peaks like Mount Pelée in Martinique and La Soufrière in Guadeloupe stand as sentinels over communities that have learned to live with the earth's restless power. Coral reefs protect coastlines where enslaved Africans once arrived in chains and where today's youth surf waves that connect them to a global culture while keeping them rooted in island life.

In French Guiana, the vast Amazon rainforest harbors not only incredible biodiversity but also Maroon communities—descendants of enslaved people who escaped plantations and created autonomous societies deep in the forest. Their presence reminds us that resistance and self-determination have always been part of the Caribbean story.