Martinique and Guadeloupe sit 35 nautical miles apart in the eastern Caribbean, both French overseas regions and therefore EU territory. That distinction matters practically. You clear customs once when you arrive from a non-EU country, and then you move freely between the two islands without paperwork. French maritime regulations apply throughout. The provisioning is genuinely French: baguettes, decent wine at reasonable prices, real cheese, and large supermarkets at the main ports.
The sailing season runs November through May. Northeast trade winds blow a consistent 15-20 knots across the channel between the islands, and the ocean passage between them is a straightforward beam reach heading north or a fairly stiff beat returning south. The Atlantic swells coming around the northern capes of each island add some motion to the crossing, but it is nothing a competent crew finds challenging. June through October is hurricane season, and while both islands sit at the southern edge of the primary storm tracks, most charter fleets relocate or reduce during those months.
Le Marin, on Martinique's south coast, functions as the operational hub for most visiting yachts. It has the infrastructure, the fuel, the chandlery, and — critically — the provisioning. From Le Marin you can reach Guadeloupe's main facilities in a single day passage.
Le Marin claims the title of the largest marina in the French Caribbean with roughly 1,500 berths spread across several basins. The marina runs efficiently, takes reservations, and has shore power, water, laundry, and a full chandlery. A ferry service from Anse Mitan, 7 nautical miles north by sea, connects to Fort-de-France in about 20 minutes. Fort-de-France is worth the trip for the covered market and the Schoelcher Library, but the city itself is unremarkable compared to the south coast villages.
Anne d'Arlet, 8nm northwest of Le Marin, anchors in 4-6 meters over sand between the church on the waterfront and the reef to the south. The snorkeling on the reef is reliable, with sea turtles feeding on the grass beds directly off the beach most mornings. The village has two or three small restaurants right on the water.
Les Salines, at the far southern tip of the island, is a long sandy beach anchorage exposed to the southwest but comfortable in the prevailing northeast trades. The beach runs nearly a kilometer and backs up against a salt pond behind a line of coconut palms. Anchor in 3-5 meters well off the beach and dinghy ashore. In the December-April high season the beach fills with French families on holiday, but weekday mornings it is still quiet. Saint-Anne village sits 2nm north along the coast with a small market, a waterfront square, and a few provisioning options.
The Iles des Saintes archipelago sits 15 nautical miles south of Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe's western half. Eight small islands, of which only two are inhabited: Terre-de-Haut and Terre-de-Bas. Most charter yachts focus entirely on Terre-de-Haut, and with good reason.
The anchorage at Bourg des Saintes on Terre-de-Haut is one of the most photographed in the eastern Caribbean. A sheltered bay ringed by green hills, a cluster of pastel buildings along the waterfront, fishing boats working in the foreground, and Fort Napoléon on the ridge above. The fort was built after the Battle of the Saintes in 1782 and is now a museum with a cactus garden and a resident population of iguanas. It is worth the walk up.
Pain de Sucre anchorage, around the headland west of Bourg, is a candidate for the most beautiful anchorage in the French Caribbean. A sheltered cove under steep green cliffs, clear water over sand and scattered coral, usually fewer boats than the main anchorage. Snorkeling along the cliff base finds reef fish and occasional sea turtles. Anchor in 4-7 meters.
Marie-Galante is a detour worth considering if you have an extra day. The flat sugar island sits 25 nautical miles east of Pointe-à-Pitre. It has three functioning sugar mills, a quiet main town called Grand-Bourg, and beaches on the west coast that see very few visiting yachts. The passage east is a beat in the trades, and returning is a fast reach — so plan accordingly.
The 35nm passage from Le Marin to Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe's main port, is upwind in the northeast trades. In 15-18 knot conditions it takes 6-8 hours under sail, mostly closehauled or slightly free. A well-found 40ft sailboat will make it comfortably in a day. Leave Le Marin by 0700 to arrive before the afternoon wind builds and the approach to Pointe-à-Pitre gets sporty.
Pointe-à-Pitre itself is a large commercial port on Grande-Terre, the flatter eastern half of Guadeloupe. Marina Bas-du-Fort sits just south of the city, with 1,000 berths, good security, and the full provisioning infrastructure you would expect from a major French Caribbean port. If your itinerary runs north, Bas-du-Fort is your northern base.
Guadeloupe's unusual butterfly shape — two halves almost touching — creates one navigational feature worth knowing. The Rivière Salée is a narrow navigable channel running between Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre. It is tidal and not deep (draft limit around 2.5 meters at low water), but it allows yachts to cross between the two halves of Guadeloupe without going around the outside. The transit takes 30-45 minutes under power. The bridge at the northern end lifts on request at scheduled times. It is a genuine shortcut and feels like nothing else in the Caribbean.
Les Saintes anchorage, reef snorkeling, tropical beach, turquoise lagoon, sea turtles of Guadeloupe, and the classic Caribbean reach.
The east coasts of both Martinique and Guadeloupe face the open Atlantic and take the full force of long-period trade wind swell. Anchorages on those eastern shores are exposed and frequently uncomfortable, sometimes dangerous. Keep your itinerary on the leeward western sides of both islands unless you have an experienced crew and a confirmed settled weather window. This is not a recommendation to avoid the east entirely — the windward coasts are dramatic and worth seeing — but overnighting there in a charter yacht requires careful judgment. Check swell period and height on Windy or PredictWind before committing to any eastern anchorage.
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