Deshaies
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Commune of Deshaies |
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| The town of Deshaies | |
| Location | |
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| Location of the commune (in red) within Guadeloupe | |
| Administration | |
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| Country | France |
| Region | Guadeloupe |
| Department | Guadeloupe |
| Arrondissement | Basse-Terre |
| Canton | Sainte-Rose 2 |
| Intercommunality | Communauté de communes du Nord Basse-Terre |
| Mayor | Jeanny Marc (1995-present) |
| Statistics | |
| Land area¹ | 31.1 km² |
| Population² (1999 census) |
4,039 |
| - Density | 130/km² (1999) |
| Miscellaneous | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 97111/ 97126 |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| 2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once. | |
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Deshaies is a commune in the French overseas région and département of Guadeloupe, in the Lesser Antilles. It covers an area of 31.1 km², and as of 1999 has a population of 4,039. The population density is 130 persons per sq. km. The inhabitants are called Deshaisiens.
Contents |
[edit] History
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Deshaies, and more particularly its littoral zone of the Large Cape, preserve the vestiges of the primitive vegetation of the Guadeloupe on arrival of Christophe Columbus at the time of his voyage from discovered on November 4, 1493. According to the anecdote, the sailor génois would have even wet in bay and would have supplied himself out of water in the large river of the borough. It assure him its character of harbor (The Hague is the place of the coast where one can make stopover), at the origin of the name of the commune. The deepest bay of all the Caribbean coast and best naturally protected, it was used as shelter to the adventurers of the filibusters and other corsairs. Its reputation of place of appointment of the sailors is not any more to make. It would not be astonishing besides that on some headland of the littoral the gold of the flibustiers sleeps. Towards the septentrional point, with Dull Freshness is told the adventure of two accomplices, disturbed of night in their keen excavation of a “guaranteed” treasure.
With the 17th century (1635) the colonists taken along by Olive and Duplessis who unload with the Allègre point, in extreme cases northern of the commune are the introduced first. Once encouraged the occupation of this part of the coast which presents many dampings, Deshaies is integral part of a vast particularly wooded territory and slightly populated extending from Pointe Noire to Baie-Mahault. Large Handle appears with a modest vault in edge of beach, the religious center of the field. On the site of the current borough until to Large dull drew up to you important dwelling of Mister of Potherie, one of greatest fortunes of the island in 1686. Ten years later, in 1696, the economy of the sugar dwellings périclitait, victim of the frequent plundering of the English corsairs which tested all the zone.
A reconversion in the food crops and the small animal breeding was going to be carried out for a less richness. From 1722, the locality takes the name of District of Large Dull. It gathers the Ferry sections, Of the Beams, Grande Handle and the Pearl. Because of its insulation, concealment of insecurity of a painful living condition, it does not justify the installations of inhabitants.
The geographical configuration makes difficult the connection through the district so that Ferry which had its own vault practically acted as any autonomy, even from the point of view of defense with a militia. Created on April 1, 1730 by the will of the Governor, Mr. of the Vault, on the request of the inhabitants of the district of Large Dull, it is into 1732 that the borough is established in the handle Of the Beams which was armed with a strong battery of two guns. The church was bénite on June 29, 1733, and dedicated to Saint Pierre and Saint Paul. Deshaies undoubtedly was disorganized economically by the reconquest of Victor Hugues and the first promulgation of the abolition of slavery. Majority of her inhabitants, whose Andre Duhalde Detcheberry, the mayor of the commune, as of 1792 had taken causes for the new revolutionary mode of Convention whereas the Guadeloupe was with the hands of the royalist counter-revolutionaries.
With the 19th century, the Napoleonean are was fatal in Deshaies because of the tension which in the zone the project of creation of a Caribbean empire developed. Its distance of the chief town (Basse-Terre), made Deshaies vulnerable whereas it profited from a strategic situation. Last nine months after the naval battle in bay, between French and English of September 5, 1803, the borough was plundered in May 1804 and the properties of the vicinity devastated by the English. The war proof the character of an unhealthy coast is added where the fever of the marshes and the disease roll all inclinations of installation.
Thirty years later, four year after the abolition of slavery, the single sugar dwelling of the common residence pertaining the Guyonneau dwelling Mr. Caillou.
The commune in 1852 saw periods of tensions. The opposition between the owner Mr. Caillou and the black farmers of his dwelling supported by the priest of the parish Mr. De Lettre, turns to the working class struggle against the having class, of the religious authority against the administrative authority.
The concern of the government, chief of the colony, with his Minister for the Navy and the Colonies for fear Deshaies does not make followers, nourishes a constant correspondence of the authorities. It determines an act of strength of the ministry, returned to the care of the law and order the radiation of the priest and his deportation. This new opposite course with the history confirms its name of small impassioned republic, turbulent. The events of the time are at the origin of the creation of the police station squad which was maintained by the governor in 1877 in spite of the refusal of the Council General. Abolition of slavery to the second world war, ignorance remains the principal obstacle with the development. To be named by the civil or religious administration with Deshaies is regarded as a disgrace. Thus Deshaies remained insulated a long time and marginalized. Whereas since 1922, the road relayed the chief town with the communes of the Leeward shore, it stopped with Pointe Noire, the commune bordering.
The mayor is Jeanny Marc.
[edit] Geography
Deshaies is located on the northwest coast of Basse-Terre and is secluded in a bay, where two headlands sticks out. Deshaies coordinates are 16° 18 ' N & 61° 48 'W. The mountain range is east while the Caribbean Sea is west.
[edit] Climate
Like any other Eastern Caribbean town, Deshaies experiences quite evenly spread rainfall during the year, with a wetter season between July and November which coincides with hurricane season. The town receives 1500-2500 mm of rainfall. Tropical heat is the norm, bringing constant highs of around 32°C (89°F) that drop to 20°C (68°F) at night.
Trade winds, called alizés, blow from the northeast and often temper the climate.
[edit] Economy
Mixed crops are grown such as vanilla, sugar, coffee, cocoa and bananas. Fishing is an important industry where different types of fish can be bought at the mini-market.
Tourism is booming and hotels and restaurants are located nearby. There is a craft industry where wooden souvenirs can be purchased in shops. Aggregate extraction is done.
[edit] Sights
There are many sights in and near Deshaies.
- The beaches of Grande Anse, Rifflet, Perle and Ferry are located nearby.
- The Orchises garden.
- The point battery
- The Botanical garden of Deshaies
[edit] Famous Deshaisiens
- Robert Charlebois
- Olivier Dacourt
- Coluche
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