Pitons Bay, Saint Lucia: Travel highlight

During our Caribbean voyage onboard a majestic sailing ship, cruising into Pitons Bay in Saint Lucia was one of the most unforgettable moments of the trip.

The first memory of our Caribbean adventure was the shocking contrast between the freezing cold in wintery Strasbourg, and the tropical heat in Martinique. 

While Strasbourg was covered in a trick coat of snow, temperatures were reaching 28°C thousands of kilometers away in Fort-de-France. The sun was shining, the trade winds were rustling through the palm trees and caressing our skin. 

The island of Saint Lucia was our first port of call on our cruise onboard the Club Med 2, the largest five-mast sailing vessel in the world.

We started our day by exploring Pigeon Island, north of Saint Lucia, a national park between the peaceful, sandy beaches of the Caribbean Sea, and the impetuous Atlantic. 

The afternoon was spent sailing in towards Pitons Bay, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

With all seven sails set, the ship cruised leisurely along the coast of Saint Lucia.

Two tiny green dots, like a couple of islets in the middle of the sea, appeared straight ahead in the distance. As we drew nearer, the islets expanded and seemed to grow larger on the horizon. It felt like sailing towards a mysterious island.

The sight that was slowly coming into view was absolutely riveting. 

Bare visible at first, the green dots turned into two volcanic peaks. Their outlines rose out of the sea and became more and more imposing.

Covered in dense, deep green vegetation, the two peaks towered majestically, over 700 m above sea level. 

Gros Piton and Petit Piton were like two brothers with entirely different natures – one sharp and pointed like a canine, the other rounder and softer. 

Our ship cast anchor and remained in the bay for a long while. The changing light of the late afternoon transformed the landscape incessantly.

At the end of the bay, the clouds would hang onto the peaks. And when the rain began to fall, a full double rainbow appeared to frame this breathtaking backdrop. Magnificent frigatebirds swooped and twirled gracefully in the hazy evening light.

Mere moments later, as the sun set, shades of pink and orange set the horizon ablaze and reflected golden hues onto the massive clouds.

Don’t miss our full article about our Caribbean voyage onboard the Club Med 2