Guadeloupe is drums Creole culture road marches and bright costumes winding through French Caribbean streets.
What to Expect
Guadeloupe runs the most traditional carnival in the French Antilles and the least commercial one in the region — no costume bands selling packages, no all-inclusive trucks. Instead it is groupes à peau, hundreds strong, moving behind skin drums and conch shells, and Mas a Kongo covered head to foot in black. It parades every Sunday from Epiphany until Vaval burns on Ash Wednesday.
Parades every Sunday from Epiphany in early January through to Ash Wednesday — 10 February in 2027
Groupes à peau — skin drums, chacha and conch shells — rather than sound trucks and DJs
Mas a Kongo, Mas a Goudron and Mas a Lanmò are traditional characters, not costume sections
Pointe-à-Pitre and Basse-Terre host the biggest parades; Ash Wednesday is dressed black and white
No paid costume bands — a participatory street carnival rather than a ticketed one
Places to Stay
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Ride-Hailing Apps
Uber
Available in Guadeloupe, particularly in Pointe-à-Pitre.
Bolt
Alternative option in the French Caribbean.
Mas Bands
Fetes & Events
Things To Do
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Getting There
Pointe-à-Pitre International Airport
Getting Around
Buses run roughly every 15 minutes on the main routes from about 5am to 6pm, which is cheap but slow.
A hire car is the standard choice: all the major firms operate and prices are reasonable by Caribbean standards.
Driving is on the right, and French road rules and signage apply throughout.
Taxi fares rise significantly between 9pm and 7am and on Sundays and holidays.
The best carnival parades are spread across Grande-Terre and Basse-Terre, so a car is close to essential during the season.
Typical Costs from the UK
Estimates only — prices vary by airline, timing and section choice. Use the budget calculator to build your own breakdown.
When to Book
Guadeloupe parades every Sunday from Epiphany to Ash Wednesday, so there is no single weekend you must hit — though the final four days, Dimanche Gras through to Ash Wednesday on 10 February 2027, are the peak. Air France and Corsair fly Paris to Pointe-à-Pitre (PTP); there is no direct UK route. February is high season for French visitors, so book accommodation by December. Because there are no commercial costume bands, there is nothing to register for — you turn up, and the groups are open. Hire a car: the best parades are spread across the island and public transport will not get you to them.
Plan This Carnival
🎭 Feb
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