You step ashore among scooters, golf carts and the smell of fresh bread. Terre-de-Haut, the main island of Les Saintes, is five kilometres long and has almost no cars: everything is reached on foot or on two wheels, at the pace of a village that starts its days early and stretches them out late. The setting comes down to three colours, the white of the houses, the red of the roofs and the blue of the bay, and a single call is enough to remember them all.

The village and its signature cake

The waterfront street lines up bakeries, shops and terraces facing the fishing boats, with the church and its stone bell tower as a landmark. Here you can taste the tourment d'amour, a coconut tartlet eaten warm; tradition has it that sailors' wives baked them for the fishermen's return. Vendors offer them as soon as the shuttle boats arrive, basket on arm, and it would be a shame to resist. Above the doors, some façades still bear the names of families who arrived three centuries ago. The lanes climbing behind the main street hide dry gardens, stone walls and viewpoints that few passengers take the time to seek out.

Fort Napoléon and its iguanas

On the hill north of the village, a climb of about twenty minutes leads to Fort Napoléon, rebuilt in the 19th century and never having fired a single cannon shot. Its rooms house a museum devoted to the archipelago, traditional fishing and the Battle of the Saintes; its dry garden gathers cacti, agaves and unafraid iguanas that happily pose for photographs. From the ramparts, the view takes in the entire bay, one of the most photographed vistas in the French Antilles, and one of the few that is even more beautiful in real life.

Pompierre, the family beach

Twenty-five minutes' walk to the east, Pompierre Bay forms a horseshoe of sand sheltered by islets, beneath a row of coconut palms where a few goats sometimes come begging for fruit. The water stays shallow for dozens of metres, ideal for children and contemplative swimmers alike. Early risers have the place to themselves, with only the islets on the horizon. Watch out for trees marked in red along the shore: these are manchineel trees, which are toxic, so don't shelter or picnic beneath them.

Pain de Sucre and Le Chameau

To the southwest, a trail leads down to the foot of the Pain de Sucre, a basalt dome set in the bay; its cove draws snorkellers to waters thick with trumpetfish and fire coral. Ambitious hikers instead tackle Morne du Chameau, 309 metres, the highest point in Les Saintes: a concrete track climbs in about an hour to an old stone watchtower. Up there, Dominica closes the horizon to the south, Guadeloupe to the north, and the entire archipelago fits in a single glance.

When it's time to reboard, there's often a tourment d'amour left in a bag, salt on your shoulders and sunshine in your eyes. Terre-de-Haut fits into a day, but it stays in your memory far longer than its size would suggest.

Practical tips

• Shuttle boats dock in the heart of the village; everything else is done on foot or by rental scooter.
• Scooter and golf cart rentals near the landing; driver's licence required.
• Currency: euro; bring cash for small shops.
• Exposed trails and dry heat: water and a hat are essential, especially for Le Chameau.