To understand how the idea of creating "Les Bananes Vertes" Ecolodges came about, we need to go back in time several years.

Here we are in 1996, when my parents, Eric and Laurence, took on the crazy challenge of introducing visitors to a little-known facet of Guadeloupe. I'm talking, of course, about nature and hiking. Like most islands, Guadeloupe has long been associated solely with a seaside destination, yet it has so much more to offer. Unlike Grande-Terre, whose limestone landscape offers white-sand beaches, Basse-Terre is a volcanic island, wilder and less well-known to tourists. Originally named Karukera, meaning "island of beautiful waters" by the Arawak people, Basse-Terre abounds in a variety of landscapes, including black and caramel sand beaches, steep roads around the Volcano, and numerous rivers and waterfalls hidden in the rainforest.

And it's these hidden treasures that these two nature lovers wanted the world to discover, through sporting activities such as hiking and canyoning. Vert Intense was born.

The company then expanded over the years to offer multi-sport holidays, from which Eric and Laurence realized that unlike Grande-Terre, there was little accommodation in Basse-Terre, and even less to the south. So, in 2008, the adventure of "Les Bananes Vertes" ecolodges began.

Originally, there was the main house, under which were 3 bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and the swimming pool. A few renovations, to give them a facelift and add a covered wooden terrace in front of each room to house the kitchen, enabled them to be transformed into pretty studios overlooking the pool.

Then it was the turn of the lodges to make their appearance, the first 2 in 2009, then 2 more a few years later, and finally the last one in 2016 at the same time as the poolside bar. As each of our ecolodges has its own particularity, you'll find an outdoor shower and bathtub in lodge 3, camouflaged behind a bamboo hedge, where you can relax in total peace and quiet.

Always in keeping with our love of nature, it was logical for us that these lodges should blend in with it, which is why they were built in wood from the outset, creating a beautiful harmony. Over the years, the concept has evolved somewhat, turning more and more towards eco-responsible tourism, with the first solar panels appearing on the roofs of the main house and lodges, followed by rainwater harvesting tanks.

In 2017 we were awarded the European Ecolabel, after having met several criteria following the transformations made to our accommodation.

Other modifications will be made later, notably to the swimming pool. Originally treated with chlorine, we finally opted for magnesium in 2022, but that's not all! We had noticed that, despite the pleasant daytime temperatures offered by the town of Saint-Claude, at certain times the nights can be relatively cool, causing the pool temperature to drop. It then became accessible only to the bravest, with temperatures hovering around 20°, which was a great pity.

Taking advantage of the work undertaken to change the water treatment system, we also had a heat pump installed. The heat pump is powered by solar panels and keeps the pool temperature between 26° and 28°, much to everyone's delight.

And here we are, back in 2024, after our journey through time, with Les Bananes Vertes Ecolodges as you know them, for the moment, because a little novelty, which I'll tell you about in more detail in a future article, is under development at Le Barakann, the bar at Les Bananes Vertes...