De Saint-Barth’ à la Dominique – Échappées belles 4K

De Saint-Barth’ à la Dominique – Échappées belles 4K

Hello friends, I’m very happy to be back with you and to offer you a little Caribbean sunshine. It’s true that when it’s cold in mainland France, it’s always very pleasant to come and enjoy the show here. We’re going to travel from island to island and I’m going to present to you the three little pearls of the Antilles: Saint-Bartelémi, Dominica and Marie Galante. So yes, they are all three very different. One is more associated with luxury. We think more of nature, calm and serenity. For the others. We often place them at opposite ends of the spectrum, and that’s what makes them charming and all the richness of these new beautiful escapes. From Saint-Bart to Dominica, Sophie Jovillard discovers three islands, three atmospheres. Oh, how beautiful this beach is! Islands full of contrasts. This is the style of villa that can be rented here in Saint-Vartellini in high standing. I understand better why we call this island the island, the nature island, eh, the wild island, islands all in color. And Marie Galante, well, it’s right over there. Welcome to the house of Indigo. So close on Saint-Bartelémi, we have counted about 150 different species of birds. So different. Yes, there you can see Queen Elizabeth I who is still on our currency. There are about 80 kg of langus. Let’s say it’s a good catch. I am directly inspired by the way my ancestors who were slaves did things. Here the rule is that you drive on the left, otherwise you die. A shared history. Since the hurricane, the forest is much less dense. When the hurricane passed through, it cut everything down. But I see that nature is starting to recover well. And cultures that complement each other. There is really something emerging in Saint-Bart there on the artistic level, quite nice. position Hi Carole. Hello Sophie. How are you? Welcome everyone, Bart. Thank you very much. The trip went well. Listen, it was great. I admit that I’m still a little impressed by this arrival on this tiny landing strip. What must it be? 6,700 m? Oh yes, to get here, there’s still a little pressure. I’m happy to be here, Carole, with this beautiful sky, and it feels good. I still traveled more than 6,700 km to join you, to also reach this little France in the Caribbean. Saint-Bart is still a special place. Ah, that’s the last paradise on earth for me. Here you’ve created a place that everyone knows, which has become, by force of circumstance, a small institution. Even though I’m quite proud of it. Yeah, but it’s a restaurant, a bar too, where people come to party. We’re going to discover it together, and uh, it’s evolved a lot despite myself. He surpassed me. So I have lots of images, maybe lots of clichés about Saard, as Mel’s name is. For me, Saard is the island of billionaires, of luxury hotels. So, there’s also a fairly authentic island with an almost village life. That’s exactly it. You have to know that even the Saint-Bartesians used to be a poor people. Uh, they only lived off fishing, smuggling, and salt marshes. What made this island an island of billionaires? So, how did it start? Well, I think it was Rockefeller, the Rockefeller family. The Rockefeller family when they settled here. There you go. And when he settled on this island, he brought all his friends over, and I think that’s it, it was word of mouth that put a spotlight on Saint-Bart. Well, that’s what we call a pretty little boat, right? So Sophie, after the qu of the yachts, you have the qu of the Saint-Barts. It’s something simpler. We take the little boat to go for a picnic, to Colombier, to go fishing. For me, the real Saint-Bart, it’s there. There, the one he has year-round, with whom we live, with whom we share. It’s really not like the others which also has a special status. Yes, because it’s an overseas collectivity. Yeah. French, It means to make it seem like it’s self-managing a little. That’s in its history, Lou is French, and no, she was Swedish. Sweden returned the island of Saint-Bartelémi to France under certain conditions. That’s why we have Portfanc status, right? With easier customs duties, let’s say. So now, we’re going to Governor’s Beach. I’m going to show you what was a very, very pretty beach. Watch out for the cute turtle. Back from the beach, Madam Turtle. Come on. Come on, we’re going to put you back in your little world. Back to your little house. Oh, how beautiful this beach is! You see, it’s really a deserted beach. There’s no construction on the beach. I can still see a few houses, some magnificent vélas in the heights are still very well preserved. What’s the principle? It’s not to go beyond the coconut trees, to blend into nature. That’s what’s important about the buildings here. What’s hidden behind it? So there you go. So, we can guess but we can’t see it, it’s Abramovic’s house. Ah yes, the multi-billionaire Russian oligarch. There you go. Who owns the Chelsea football club, so who lives here. Sophie, I’m taking you to the Village Saint-Bart hotel. It’s a really cozy, typical hotel that truly reflects the soul of Saint-Bart and perfect. Well, there’s Bertrand. Hello Bertrand. Hello Carole, I’m here. Thank you for welcoming us. It’s nice to see you. Meet up by the pool. It’s chic, isn’t it? Hello. Hello. Nice to meet you. Looking forward to welcoming you to the Village Saint-Bart. With a lovely view of Saint-Jean, it’s magnificent. It’s one of the most beautiful awnings in Saint-Bart. Yeah, of course. There are many others. Of course. There you go. I was looking to stay in a hotel at a reasonable price. You can find it here in Saint-Bart. Well, yes, at our place among others. The cheapest price in high season is €280 including breakfast and €180. So it’s reasonable. Okay, I have my room. So here. There you go. Here is shack number 14. Perfect. Where is it? So it’s going to be in this direction. I’ll let it go. OK. I’ll settle in and I’ll see you right away. Carol, thank you for the welcome. Very good. Great. Sophie, I wanted to show you a luxury town that rents here in Saint-Vartelémi to give you a little idea of ​​what you can find here on the island for rent. Oh my, it’s magnificent. Oh my, what a view! This is the style of villa that rents here in Saint-Barthélemy in luxury. What we call luxury in the low season is $8,500 a week for 10 rooms. It’s still affordable. Uh yeah, no, it’s not in my budget anyway. And in the high season it goes up to $15,000 for the high season. OK. Well, it’s true that during the 15 days of Christmas and New Year’s Day, it goes up to $40,000. OK. Okay. Behind this image of luxurious paradise, Saint-Bart hides an army of handymen ready to satisfy the needs of a wealthy clientele. Cléber Ketel is a fisherman. His little luxury is to go sailing before the hustle and bustle of cruise ships and yachts. We appreciate the moments on the upside. Uh, quiet in the morning, no noise, there’s only the sound of the engines and the waves, it’s super pleasant. And despite the Creole accent, everyone here calls him the Viking. This morning, Clébert sets out to retrieve lobsters caught during the night by his brother. Saint-Bart has about sixty fishermen. In this fish-filled sea, they mainly catch sea bream, tuna, and swordfish. But what tourists love most are the lobsters hauled in traps. Sold for €20 per kilo by the fishermen, these lobsters will end up on plates for between €80 and €200 per kilo. There are about 80 kg of lobster. Let’s say it’s a good catch. A stock that will be sold within the day. Here, restaurants are fighting to recover the precious crustacean. Before the langoes, it is broken up and put back inside to feed the fish so that The fish go into the trap because the fish is worth more than the lobster. Now, things have changed enormously. Lobster is much more valuable these days. And there’s no time to waste, we have to unload quickly to deliver to the best restaurants on the island. Customers like to eat fresh lobster, especially when they know it’s a lobster caught in the surrounding area. It happened directly from the fisherman to the restaurateur. More than that, there isn’t a lobster that will be served here with a risoto from lunchtime. Ensuring 5-star service is a must in Saint-Bart, especially for the many ya that dock. From 40 to 150 m for the biggest behemoths. Enough to give the port director cold sweats . Oh, that’s okay, we had a little margin. Every year, we have a good average of between 250 and 300 vessels throughout the harbor area. Obviously, there are more requests than there are spaces, so we have to manage all of this with a smile, with a smile but also professionalism. One of the key men in this mission is called Loï Cronm. He is a yacht agent. Between administrative formalities and luxury concierge services, he takes great care of his exceptional clients. We are the man on land. Uh, we are the eyes and ears of the captain. Uh, so we are really there to assist them, to ensure that the owner has nothing to worry about. Loï created his company 5 years ago. Today, he manages around thirty boats with very specific requests, from spa reservations to the purchase of cases of champagne. Between these three dates, see availability for the TI Saint-Bart and the Bonito. So, we have a clientele that is very demanding and also appreciates discretion. So the captain certainly knows us, we work hand in hand with him, but for the client, we don’t exist. We are, we work in the shadows. There you go. So we will have picked up a bottle of wine for this morning at the caveok and delivered to the port. I will be there with the captain. OK. Okay, I’m going. Throughout the winter, Saint-Bart also becomes one of the rallying points for the world’s greatest fortunes and attracts hundreds of seasonal workers. He makes my life much simpler. Louis was born here, he knows the city well , and he knows exactly where to find what you need. So that helps a lot. There are some who make life easier for this luxury clientele. Others make it even sweeter. Aminata Classon Diop is a yoga teacher. A kind of yoga that is a little unusual because it is practiced on a board. Aminata has been teaching paddle yoga for 5 years, a practice originating from Hawaii that offers a unique playground . It’s enjoyable. It’s really our mat, it’s the board and our studio is the sea. We breathe in for a silent man. We raise our arms towards the sky. Exhale. We plan to do yoga on a board, it brings us to the fact that we can’t control all the elements around us. We have to follow the sea, we have to follow the weather. Start moving your feet towards the middle of your hand. There you go, raise your legs, left leg. There are some who are afraid because you still have to have balance. They are afraid that they will fall but that’s part of the game. If we don’t fall when we do a yoga class, we don’t do a real yoga class. Turn up the wind a little bit. Samb is changing. Before Samart was known for restaurants, shopping, going out and now we have started to have more and more choices for well-being. Afterwards, I also have clients who come to party but he also wants a well-being side. So he does sports in the morning and then he goes out in the evening. Enough to enjoy your stay in complete serenity. I really fell in love with this island. Well yes, I spent my entire childhood in Tahiti. Then I lived in Martinique, I lived in the Grenadines and then Saint-Bartellé. It’s true that I’ve been here for 30 years now. The inhabitants, They also call them Saint-Bartes. Yeah, it’s the Saint-Bartes. So everything is Saint-Bart. Here we go to see Daniel, a great fisherman for years for the T Saint-Bart. Hello Daniel. Hello. Ah, I’m Carole. Are you well, Carole? Hello, let me introduce you to Sophie. I would have liked to shake your hand, but now we’re going to kiss, eh. Hello Daniel, sang Daniel, fisherman Carol. Well, you see, it’s for you, it’s for the restaurant, you see, it’s the Dorade Corifen, which we call here. Ma, too, find it, here we go, we prevent it everywhere, it could be in the Caribbean, it could be in the Atlantic, we’ll still put them in the fridge. OK, how much? 6 kg. 6 kg, beautiful beast. Yeah, it’s a beautiful beast. Very beautiful beast. And there, what do we have there? And there, we have small coral fish. So these are small Sardinians and this is what we call here the big mouth. It’s a variety of small grouper. A big mouth. There you go. There are some big mouths in Sart. And yes. You like this life at sea, exactly? But it’s like I say, it’s a job that is n’t easy every day. Yeah. But you shouldn’t like sleeping. For example, to go to sea, we get up at 2 a.m. to leave at 3 a.m. We’re far from the life of the partygoers of Saint-Bart, eh. They can come and party because right behind there are people who work. It’s still an island full of contrasts when you see your fishing boat, your worker’s boat next to these big billionaires. Do these big boats make you dream? Don’t dream too much. Not more than that. The most beautiful boat is yours. There you go. Thanks for the fruit juice. Carole, he’s welcome. I see you’ve planned a third drink. Are we expecting anyone? Yes. In fact, I asked my friend Hélène Bernier, whom I’ve known for 23 years. She’s passionate about nature. I think she’s the one who’s coming, right? Hello, nice to meet you. Hélène. How are you? Hello. Hello. Carole said to me, “Have you known her for 23 years ?” It was the first serious drawing, Marin. It’s true. There you go. Afterwards, things have changed a lot since now I’m a taxi driver and I show off the island off the beaten track. Nature-wise, what you don’t usually see in Saint-Bart. Great. Well, listen, we’re on it. Look, Carol, I even made a little juice before leaving. Cheers, girls, to Saint-Bart and our walk. So here we are in Grandfond, it’s one of the most preserved areas for the moment in Saint-Bartelléi. Here, we have the glue tree. The what tree? The glue tree. Here, we have some small fruits. I’m going to take one. Hop, we open it. In fact, it sticks. It’s my parents, for example, they used that at school because there was no stationery. We used what we had on the island. You talk about your parents referring to this natural glue, but in your family, which was the first generation to come and settle here? When did that go back? It goes back to 1648. Oh yeah. The Berniers. So my family was one of the first families to arrive here with 12 other families who arrived around that time and who are still here today. So they came here to have a better life. Well, they had the hope of having a better life, at least , than what they had in mainland France at that time. And actually, having arrived here in Saint-Bart, we don’t have fresh water. So we still had to cling to this rock. Yeah. Because life back then wasn’t at all the luxurious life it is today. Living conditions were much more Spartan. Well, that’s for sure. Yeah. There was absolutely nothing. Nothing, nothing, nothing. I don’t know if you saw the pelicans there. Yes, I just saw one there flying the majestic flight of the pelican. It’s the symbol of Saint-Bartelémi on our Saint-Bart flag. It’s the emblem of the island. He eats a lot, he keeps in his beer, it’s his throat and then he redistributes. It’s a symbol of sharing and generosity. It’s an island that must be preserved and you are one of those who are really trying to preserve their island. We’re on a small island, it’s 21 km². Everything is expensive. Well, a 500 m² plot of land is immediately 1 million euros. So it’s very expensive. So preserving the environment in the face of real estate speculation is a daily challenge and at the same time if we sacrifice our quest for life and our environment, we also lose tourism. So we’re walking a tightrope and we mustn’t fall to one side or the other. In any case, it’s to your credit to take up this challenge of preserving the environment of this beautiful island of Saint-Bart. Yes. Ah well, here we are, we’re at your place. There you go. Welcome you. We’re in a very cabaret atmosphere, eh. Oh yeah, plus there you have the photos of all our guests. Yasting, you have Jack Nicholson, you have Dustin Hoffman. Oh my goodness. M from the garden. There’s Bono from the group if you have Mathieu. Well, you’re hugged. Roughly speaking, you’re telling me that all personalities pass through the tissue. Is there one that touches you more than the others, that has a special place in your heart? Let’s say that right now, I’m actually thinking a lot about Johnny, who used to come to my house often and who has left us or who is buried here. And who is buried here ? Soon to be done and this is where I will end my life for me. Good evening. Good evening. Is this the first time you’ve come to pay your respects at John’s table? Yes, it’s the first time I’ve come here. I’m from Lyon. It was a struggle to get here, but I’m here. You’re a real woman, haven’t you, since ’77. It’s true. My daughter’s name is Laura, and I miss Johnny. I understand. And that he’s buried here in Ah, he’s very good. It allows us to come and see him. Yes. And at least there, it’s her tree of peace. Those candles are beautiful too. They’re magnificent. Marie, if you knew all the harm they do to me at Marie, if I could when we arrive in Saint-Bart, it’s impossible to miss them. These ceramic panels are part of the postcard. They each represent one of the beaches of Lillele. The person behind these little tiles is from Belgium. Véronique Van Dernot settled in Saint-Bart more than 20 years ago. An island that has become an inexhaustible source of inspiration for her. Here, I’m making a tile for the entrance of a house. So, they asked me for a decor that’s typical of Saint-Bart with the island on the horizon, the palm tree, the seagull, the little Creole hut, everything that’s really typical of Line. Uh, that’s what they ask me. It’s blue, turquoise, the blue sky, there they are, always lots of light, lots of light, lots of color. An idea that almost came about by chance. One day, I took several tiles together. I started to create a decor on the island and, uh, I found it fun to be able to recreate a decor with several small tiles like a mosaic on tiles of different sizes. And where did I get the idea to present to the community, uh, a painting for the beaches? And following that, there was an order for the first 16 beaches. These small tiles have now become an emblem of Saint-Bart and an essential souvenir for all visitors. When they come back here, I hear them say: We took pictures of all the signs on all the beaches and apparently they really like it. It makes me very happy. Are you on Governor’s Beach? Yes, I love this beach. It will be a towel rack for my outdoor bathroom in New York. We’re bringing a little bit of Saint-Bart and its sunshine to our home. Over the years, Véronique’s clients have diversified, and both individuals and professionals on the island have started asking for their ceramic signs. We toured the island with your sign. David manages Le Sang de Tafé, one of the oldest restaurants on Saint-Bart. Here’s the Magic sign. Great. So, where will the sign go? It’s there. Here? Yes. Great. If we put it right next to the street, we can’t see the view from the restaurant at all, which is just splendid. So there, Well, it’s well represented on the side of the road. Ah, that’s going to be good. Saint-Bart is often considered an Eldorado for artists with a booming art market driven by buyers with deep pockets. So, in the luxury villas, we can’t count the creations of local artists like these amazing nut sculptures. They are the work of Jean-Martin who embodies this new wave of young creators. All of a sudden, we realized there were at least fifty artists who were making things at home but without showing them. In fact, there’s really something emerging in Saint-Bart on the artistic level that’s quite nice. Jean arrived on the island a few years ago with a welding diploma, but he quickly sensed the potential and decided to change careers. I was making bodyguards, pergolas, really building, and very quickly, I asked my first boss if I could make my little sculptures in the evenings and on weekends. Well, he said yes. So, I very quickly produced some small sculptures, and after a few months already started small exhibitions, all that. And if the sculptor hasn’t made a fortune yet, he can now live off his art with an original trademark. Right now, I’m making little skulls. So, I have a mold underneath, a plaster skull, and I add the nuts one by one on top. And using the nuts is a bit like molecules. We follow the shapes, we follow the curves of any object. I have to succeed with my plaster or cement cast. And then, there you go, I can make any curve, always polished, it always has to shine. That’s more here in Saint-Bart, there’s a lot of sun so it creates great effects outside. Chic and dazzling works that really fit the Saint-Bart spirit. Hello friends. Ah, hello Sophie. There’s a place on board. Ah, maybe. So, go ahead. Hi François. Hi. How are you? How are you. And you? Yes, very nice weather for going out to sea there. Well, let’s hope it’s okay, there aren’t too many clouds. Okay , you’ll both explain everything to me, my side always hold on. Here we go. Now, you take a steer on the little green buoy opposite and you try to stay straight. Turn right. Turn right. Don’t let go of the steering wheel. In a car, you do the same. If you let go of the steering wheel, there you go. And Marie Galante, well, it’s right over there. OK. And that’s where we’re going. So there are 16,000 in 2 hours and 30 minutes in a straight line. Normally, we should be there. Well, it’s pretty well managed, here are some slightly brown colors like that, it’s not a good sign. There’s the quail. What’s the quail? The quail is rocks. Here we call it the quail. So we’re going to go between the green and the red. Go a little more towards the red. There you go straight into the acilla. Stop. Oh yes, we don’t have much time left. But no, stop, I’m going to light something down there and I’ll come back. No, but you wait, wait, wait, wait. It’s a joke. Really? There, it was quite agitated because the seabed is rising. Afterwards, it will be a little calmer. People often think that the Caribbean has an image of a flat sea, but here you have the whole Atlantic coming in, and so there’s the Atlantic Sea, right? Al, what’s really nice about you, François, is that when we board your boat, it’s to learn all the basics of sailing, right? Ah, that’s my job, right? I’ve been a liveaboard sailing instructor since ’98. I’m from Rennes, I’ve sailed to Saint-Malot, I’ve sailed to the south of Brittany, a bit in Ireland too. I’ve done two transatlantic crossings. So, I know the area a little bit. I think we’ll be able to lower the mainsail and then set a course for Marie Galand, which is over there. Nathalie, the same, it’s the mainsail. I’m coming. Great, great. Hold on tight. Sorry. There, that’s good, laisie. You too, it’s a real favorite here in this region of the world. Oh yes, I’ve arrived Here with the pleasure of being able to do a lot of outdoor sports. One day you can be on the sea, the next day you can run in the mountains. The playground is fabulous. What do you recommend in Marie Galante? So in Marie Galante, you can see, for example, an anigoterie where they actually make this famous magnificent blue dye called indig. There you go. There you go. Thanks for the advice. Al, that’s it, François, we’re arriving off the coast of Marie Galante. It’s funny when you see it from afar, you see a completely flat island. Exactly. The galette, that’s how we make it. There you go, that’s its nickname. We call it the authentic island because it’s rural, there’s not too much tourism. And I see that we’re starting to see some pretty beaches there. Exactly. Oh, look, someone’s coming here. The tour for us. Hello, I’m delighted to see you. Hello Sophie. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you. And welcome to the house of indigo. Yeah. And so it all starts from there, it all starts from this plant, it all starts from a Guatemalan indigo plant on Marie Galante before the cultivation of cane, so there was indigo cultivation and there were up to 80 indigo factories. It’s the place where indigo was made and thousands of tons of indigo were sent to Europe. There was a high demand for blue. Why? Because blue was a noble color for whom? The king. And yeah. Okay. So there was a huge demand for blue. I have the impression that it’s a bit of a magic trick too to transform indigo, right? So there, yeah, I’ll talk more about alchemy. Ah yeah, already the plant that is green that will give you blue. So, how do we do it? So, the process in the first step, we’re going to ferment. This step will last for about a day. It’s really an infusion, you know. It’s a plant infusion. And then, the next day, we’ll oxygenate the juice. And at that point, the blue, the pigment will start to appear. So that means it’s tissue. Then you bathe them, eh, in the mother tincture. You see what I did there? Well, you’re going to do almost the same thing for me. Okay. So what did you put in there? See, I put in some seeds from the corks. I’m getting as much as I can. These are seeds that I find on the coast. Okay, Sophie, it’s not bad, but that’s not how it’s going to happen. Very good. So you start again. Perfect. We’ll do it step by step. There, you went too fast. You take a seed, just an elastic band. You put the seed underneath. OK. There. You take it. And you make it really tight. Three turns with the elastic. And then you arrange it as you feel. Very good. So little Sophie and also we always say something. So little Sophiean. Ah Titane and little Sophie, you first dip the fabric like this delicately without making bubbles in my cube. We’re going to stop the dyeing there. There. So there, you go up. Go up. So now, you put yourself in the sun. There. Finally towards the light, please. You really have to be in the light. There. Make the indigo. And you open, you open. Listen, for a first, you would have thought you would have done this all the time. But yes, but yes, because you took the time. And look at the sea and look at the colors that you made appear. And all the glass, it will disappear little by little. Oh, it’s beautiful! Oh, it’s good, eh! I, I think I’ll keep it. It’s so beautiful. It’s so beautiful! The Caribbean Sea and its shades of blue aren’t the only treasure of the Antilles. Travelers should also look up to discover the hundreds of bird species that inhabit these islands. The small islets of Saint-Bartelémi are the ideal place to observe them. We might see terns, perhaps. No. Well, I haven’t seen terns lately. I’ve seen gannets, shad-tailed peafowl, frigatebirds circling around, and pedicantes. As head of the bird protection association, Jean-Jacques Rigot has made it his mission to preserve this birdlife. So there, indeed, we see an adult booby who is preening his feathers. Today he must catalog the nests of the species that are migrating. We can clearly see the pelican nests. So we can quite easily take beautiful pictures. These are young ones. On Saint-Barteléi, we have counted around 150 different bird species. The number of bird species is actually quite spectacular considering the small size of the island. But in fact, this is explained in particular by the fact that Saint-Barthélemi is on the Antilla arc and is a crossing point for migratory birds that come from the north to migrate to South America. And to protect this unique ecosystem, the entire area has been classified as a nature reserve. Oh, there’s a booby. So, it’s a red-footed booby, have you seen it? And that’s relatively rare. There are very few of them. It’s a variety of booby that has red webbed feet. No, it’s an extraordinary place for birds. Extraordinary. But there’s another island in the Caribbean that’s been elevated to a bird paradise: Dominica. A thick tropical forest covers three-thirds of its territory. It’s the playground of Bertrand Baptiste, a guide specializing in birdwatching. He calls me Doctor Birdy because of my knowledge of birds and my ability to find them in the wild. Doctor Birdy is a real star in Dominica. He single-handedly inventoried every bird species on the island. There are nearly 200. And if he can find them in the middle of the jungle, look, here’s a trembling bird. It makes this trembling motion. It’s also able to communicate with them. I can imitate the calls of certain birds. So if I do this, it sounds like the great becilla. If I do there, it’s the broad-winged buzzard, and if I do there, it’s the familiar trembling hawk. So yes, I imitate a number of them. Look, he answers me. He answers a love story with birds that didn’t start very well. When I was a child at 11 years old, I shot a bird. When it fell, I looked at it closely and saw how beautiful it was. Later, I learned that his name was the organist Lidor and I began to love birds from that moment on. As an adult, I worked for the national parks, more specifically on parrots. After 42 years of good and loyal service, Doctor Birdy is now retired and shares his passion for birds, especially with the most famous of them, the cissou. Woof! Cerou! Woof! The cicerou! Look, look just above us. Magnificent lovely the cissou a very rare parrot. There are barely 300 specimens on the entire planet in Dominica alone. It’s an endemic species and it’s also the symbol of our flag. It’s highly protected because it’s an endangered species. If we lose it, we’ll have to change our flag, and we don’t want to change our flag. And indeed, in Dominica, the famous Patrône is prominently displayed on official buildings and in the streets of the country. And in the schools of Lille, we raise awareness among students from a very young age about this emblematic bird by involving forest rangers. This species is very vulnerable; we must protect them. That’s why we created protected areas like national parks. Birds are barometers of the good health of the environment. If you don’t see any, there’s something wrong with your environment. An awareness passed down from generation to generation. Tell me, how much for the pound of passion fruit? $5. $5, and how much for the ginger? $10. Okay, I’ll take three of that one and three of this one. Hi. Hi Sophie. How are you? How are you? Are you shopping? Ah, I remember a little note here. To say hello party bag. It means nice to meet you. I’m glad to be in Dominica here in Roseau. For me, Dominica is a bit like the English-speaking cousin in the arcantill. Yes, this island is very interesting because it was both English and French. It gained its independence in 1978 and has remained so ever since. You can find a mix of both cultures here, especially the language. We speak Creole, which has French roots. So you and I can understand each other thanks to this shared past, and that’s cool. So for me, Dominica is also the ultimate nature island. Yes, it’s very green, perfect for nature lovers. Well, that’s what we’re going to talk about together, but we’re doing some shopping at this pretty little market. There’s something there that intrigues me. You’re going to tell me what it is. I don’t know. They call it soréal. What is it? It’s a flower that contains a seed that is extracted and dried. With this one, we can make juice, ponche, jam. We can also cook with it. I could have some for 5 dollars, please. Yes. So, here, we pay 1 € in Caribbean dollars. That’s about 3 Caribbean dollars, right? Yes, there you can see Queen Elizabeth II who is always on our currency. Thank you. You’re welcome. See you next time. We have something like this on an island that’s almost 750 km². It’s really nature that reigns, and that’s what you like here, right? You’re not a city guy. I live in the village of ODA, the highest on the island, and I’m a guide. Among other things, I’m going to take you to my village and show you the magnificent nature around it. It’ll be more pleasant. Yeah, we’re going to leave, we’re going to leave the cars, we’re going to go into nature. These little colorful houses are pretty there in the middle of nature. Here, we do what we want and it works. There are no color codes on this island. Everyone does what they like. It’s good with their house. Barely 5 minutes from the city, you can see that the scenery has already changed. Here in Dominica, there are thousands of different species, flowers, plants. The higher you climb, the more you’ll see. Look, you can see bananas growing along the road like here. You can almost catch them. You drive, you stop, you eat. There you go, it’s free. You chose to live off tourism. It’s an important activity here. Yes, it’s the island’s primary source of income. But for you, it’s more the choice of ecotourism that you made so that it’s sustainable. It shouldn’t only benefit us but also our children and grandchildren. It’s a good thing you’re driving because we drive on the left here and there it’s steep. Yes. Here we drive on the opposite side. That’s it. We have a golden rule on our island, which is that when you drive, you must be completely on the left, otherwise you risk dying on the left. So, you drive on the left or you die on the left. Welcome to the village of ODA. This is where I live. Everyone knows each other here. We are about 300 inhabitants. That’s it. Everyone knows everything about everyone else. And that statue over there? That statue represents the first owner of the village of ODA, Mr. Pascal Loda. OK. And here, you can read “Welcome to the Medon estate.” Where did Pascal Loda come from? From Medon in France? In France. Really? When he died, he bequeathed the village to the following generations and it has been passed down ever since and that’s why through my mother we have a property in the village. I really feel like we’re entering the heart of the forest, eh. Oh dear, welcome there, what a view, it’s magnificent. Oh yeah, really. You have the mountain range, the Caribbean Sea. I designed this cabin and we built it with my father. He helped me cut the timber, the chainsaw and I did everything myself. Bravo! It took me a little time though. But it’s successful, eh. It’s really successful. This island is splendid. I know that many people come here to forget everything. So, I try to show them the real Dominica where we lives in harmony with nature, where we feed on the land, enjoy the view, and breathe clean air. It’s very, very beautiful. Bravo for what you’ve done. Oh my, I’m going to have an extraordinary night at your place. Look how soft that mattress is with those beautiful sheets. The breakfasts tomorrow morning with the view are superb, it’s going to be incredible. If Dominica is a paradise for nature lovers, it is also subject to its whims. In 2017, Hurricane Maria hit the island and inflicted considerable damage, particularly on one of its main attractions, the Whitubuli National Trail, a 185 km long hiking trail that attracts thousands of trekking enthusiasts every year. So after the disaster, the locals rallied to restore it. This is the case of Anette Payè, a Swiss woman who has lived in Dominica for 20 years. Anette runs a tiny 15-room hotel and specializes in forest hikes. For us, Dominica is our home. So, we invest everything, right? We invest our lives, our souls, our hearts, and then, precisely after the hurricane, almost the entire trail was blocked, damaged, and so on. So, we decided to take care of one of the segments. Take care of a segment, that is, clear it of the many uprooted trees. And for that, she offers her clients a hand. Voluntary tourism for the week or just for the day, like for Myiam who came from Germany. Today, we’re going on the trail. We’re working on segment 11. There are a few steep sections to get there, but don’t worry, we’ll take our time. I’ll get there. Of course you can do it. Perfect. I’m on vacation, but some days, I can help. It’s a magnificent island close to nature. So, it’s very important for me to restore it. Is everyone ready? Let’s go. Heading to the area to be cleared. An hour’s drive, two rocky paths to get into the heart of the island. This is the beginning of this section of this part and it looks about like this. Uh, this section for example, it was completely downhill, we couldn’t get through. We’ve already cleaned everything up here. Dominica is a unique island. It’s also called the nature island of the Caribbean. They say if Christophe Conerait another time, it would be the only island that could recognize it because from a nature point of view, almost nothing has changed. The Whiteuboli, nicknamed the GR20 of the Caribbean, is considered one of the most beautiful hiking trails in the world. Monster. And after an hour of walking in the primary forest, that’s it, we’ve arrived. This is where we left off last time. Ahead of them, kilometers of tangled branches that will need to be cut and pruned in order to mark the path. Voluntary tourism, a new way to enjoy this vacation. No problem, tomorrow I’m going to the beach. So, a cool day, a work day. On this 13 km segment, only 5 km have been cleared. A titanic task. We started 10 months ago. If we have a good day, we can do 100 m a day. Everything we’re doing now on the White to National TR is, of course, for the future, and I hope for the very near future because there are so many people waiting to come back and enjoy a unique product. Reviving trails, rebuilding in the face of a difficult nature. This is also the philosophy of this luxury hotel, which was heavily damaged by hurricanes. So Samuel Raphaël, its owner, decided to start from scratch with a new approach. Climate change is a new reality, and we must face it. It could be rising waters, cyclones. We had category 5 cyclones, and now we’re talking category 6 or 7. So when you build, you have to think more and more about these things. So we decided to build in a way that ‘s more resilient to the vagaries of the climate while preserving the rustic look of the old lodges. When you think of a Caribbean house, you think of a pretty traditional wooden house. Here’s one, but this wood is just the roof. Underneath, everything is reinforced concrete and steel. The lodge will have nearly 80 rooms with an innate sense of recovering local resources, such as capturing river water or recycling these large volcanic stones that will be used to cover the walls. If you look in the distance, there’s the village of Gallon. It’s a village in Dominica renowned for its stonemasons. So, in a way, we’re combining local heritage and customs with this new project. After recovering, Dominica now dreams of attracting more and more visitors with the ambition of green and sustainable tourism, true to its image as a natural island. Good morning. Bonjour. Good morning. Hello! Hi, how are you today? Oh, you! Here’s your breakfast. It’s perfect. I prepared it especially for you. Oh my! Breakfast in a little corner of paradise. Did you have a good night? I slept very, very, very well. What’s on the agenda today? We’re going to Fresh Waterlake. We’ll go kayaking there. Great. We’re going to have a great time. So here’s where Vitam is. Yes. This is my parents’ house, mine, my brother’s. We all live together. This is my vegetable garden for our food. We have some cabbage and tomato plants, and I planted them for my wife, who is a vegetarian. I feel like you’re starting from scratch here. Nature was really damaged after Hurricane Maria. Yes, it’s true. Here, it was planted everywhere. There were lots of vegetables and fruits. But since Hurricane Maria in 2017, everything has been cut down to the ground. It wasn’t like the usual hurricanes; it was something different. The last time we had such a destructive hurricane was 40 years ago. When you’re faced with such a catastrophe, it stops you dead in your tracks and makes you think. Hm. We can see that some trees have really had their tops, their heads cut off. These are really the traces of the hurricane’s passage. Since the hurricane passed, the forest is much less dense. When the hurricane passed through, it cut everything down. All the leaves, most of the branches, it destroyed everything. Before, it was much denser. We couldn’t see as far. But I see that nature is starting to recover nicely. It’s really greened up in a year and a half and some plants are taking advantage of it to occupy the land like epiphites and orchids. They’re growing everywhere. Look at this plant, it’s taken advantage of it too. What do you want to show me? Here’s a fern. Come closer. This tree fern is very impressive, eh. It’s magnificent. This one is still small. It will become much bigger. Here we are at Fresh Water Lake. We are going to go back down to water level to go kayaking. It should be pretty nice. Oh yes, it’s going to be very nice. Come on, let’s go back down. I understand better why they call this island the nature island, the wild island. Yes, greenery surrounds us. We can drink fresh water directly from the river. Truly magnificent. It is also a natural water reserve. In Saint-Bartelémi, for example, they told me they had a problem with fresh water. Here, that’s not the case, eh. Yes, it rains on this island every day. Thanks to these rains, we have no shortage of fresh water, and we consider these rains a gift from nature. The island is very mountainous. It is crossed by a mountain range from north to south. This is one of the reasons why the island is so preserved. Access to our island is difficult. You really have to want to come here. Well, you must be hungry. We’re going to my aunt Claudette’s house, and she’s going to cook something delicious for you. Very good idea. Welcome to Claudette’s kitchen. Hello. Hello Sophie. The famous Claudette. Welcome. Nice to meet you. NJ told me you’re famous here. Oh, right. Head chef. Right. Right. So what exactly are you making? Today, I’m going to make a red bean soup with smoked meat, which will add even more flavor. All the ingredients are local. It’s perfect and fresh straight from the garden. How would you describe Dominica’s cuisine? What marked Dominica’s cuisine is that our ancestors were slaves. They didn’t have ice to preserve meat. So, they had to find ways to preserve the meat, and that’s why our meats are smoked. My cuisine is truly Caribbean. I’m directly inspired by my ancestors’ way of cooking. And all your family is from here in Dominica? My mother is from the Kalinago Indian territory. Besides, you see, my face is quite distinctive. He came from Venezuela, from the Orenoc River, but they were the first to found the Caribbean. Don’t forget, they were held pretty tight. So, I’m happy to be a Calinago. You see, I’m part of history. Yeah. Have you always loved cooking? It’s my passion. And if it’s not delicious, I’m willing to start again until it’s perfect. What really makes me happy is when someone takes a bite of my dishes and I love that. That’s it. And there it is. And there it is, the dish. Oh my, that’s very generous, huh. It’s well served. Yeah. After kayaking, it’s welcome. Enjoy your meal. Thank you. Thank you too. Enjoy your meal. You’re welcome. Good, when everyone shuts up at the table, it’s a good sign for the cook. We’re enjoying ourselves. Thank you for this plan. Dominicans like to say that they have 365 rivers, as many as there are days in the year. Naturally, Dominica has become the Caribbean’s mecca for water sports enthusiasts. The most popular here is the canyon, with natural gorges offering a spectacular setting. Jeffrey Charles has been a canyoning instructor for 15 years. Fasten your vests. They call it the canyon capital. The water is pure, it’s 21°C and crystal clear. Jeffrey is leading this small group of adrenaline junkies today . I’ve never done this before. I’m a little nervous. His rappel slide is swimming in white water. These canyons offer all the ingredients for an immersive wilderness adventure. 2 awesome. Nice jump. This canyon is about 2,000 years old, but it changes quickly. Every time it rains, it evolves a little. A setting so extraordinary that it was even chosen as a filming location for the movie Pirates of the Caribbean. But Dominica is also renowned for another aquatic sport: freediving. A discipline that begins gently on dry land. When we dive, we face a lot of pressure. The deeper we go, the greater the pressure, and the more we must prepare our bodies. Prepare your body but also your mind through visualization exercises to anticipate the day’s freediving. Begin your descent, pull the rope along your body. Relax your chest. Release your stomach. In this virtual dive, Jonathan Sonex acts as your guide. This New Zealander offers courses to students from all over the world. Jonathan began freediving almost by accident when a doctor refused to let him scuba dive because of his asthma. A blessing in disguise. Freediving quickly surpassed the 100m depth mark and became world number 3 before finding the promised land here in Dominica. Here we are at the Soufriere dive site. This is where we will dive. The sea is very deep and calm. It’s about 160 meters deep. There’s no current, no waves. The water never drops below 26°C. This is Dominica. You can’t imagine anything better for freediving. On the platform, the students receive final instructions. before diving into the deep end. An immersion in a captivating and silent universe. You take a deep breath and go underwater. It’s so calm. It’s magnificent. Sometimes the water is like crystal. There are just little particles that the water reflects. It’s perfect. I can’t find a better place to dive. Among these divers, Arthur, who came from France. It’s a feeling of general well-being. You’re in the moment, you’re in the moment, the present moment because you’re focused on very, very simple things . I really think it’s very close to a meditative state. And after 2 minutes 15 of freediving and a dive to 55 m… Ah, okay, that’s great. And I feel relaxed. I feel like I ‘ve just had a massage. It’s amazing. I’m kind of on cloud nine right now. Between extreme sports and meditation, Dominica will seduce all travelers in search of emotion. Morning, how are you? Hello, hello, I’m just in time, it’s bottle time. Hello, nice to meet you. Hello, this is my mother, Rosemonde, and my father. Hello. Hello. Hello. Hello, sir. Hello. And who is she? It’s Lucy. Ah, Luc, okay , but she’s entitled to special treatment. Luc, she’s lucky, and so are we. But she really lives with you. No, no, she has her own room behind the house. She has the good life. Ah! Let’s go feed the goats. Bring them in, say something to them. Come on, come on, come on and have your coffee. Okay, you’re coming, they’re coming. Come on, my goats, come on and have your coffee. Look how much they love their food. They love it. Luckily, these goats do you a lot of good. Yes, she helps us fertilize our vegetable garden. We also use it to make goat curry , soups, barbecues, and it’s just delicious. And you don’t use the milk . She doesn’t let herself be pushed around. Every time we try to stretch her, we get kicked . We don’t know how to avoid getting kicked by the goats. In fact, you have everything you need around you. You don’t need to go to town after all. Very little. Here, we say eat what you grow and grow what you eat. And is that something you wanted to pass on to your children? Yes, it’s something I’ve always told them. And look at N, he knows it very well. That’s why your son is big and strong, right? Exactly. I was raised by my mother, who was single, and she gave the best to her five children. I learned from her that family is the most important thing. What do you want to pass on to your children? What I really want to pass on to my children, you won’t believe me, is love. Love is the most important thing I want to pass on to them. You have your children around you, a bit like a mother hen. Exactly. Ah, it feels good to be here. You know, I understand why green is the main color on your flag because nature has been omnipresent here for a long time. You have realized that it must be protected. Yes, it is very important for us to ensure that tourism does not harm our island and that it remains responsible. This is the case for us right now as I speak to you, and we want it to remain so for our children and grandchildren. Hence the importance of educating tourists who come here to escape. One of the natural beauties that can be observed here are these falls that you are taking me to. Mr. Come on, these are the Victoria Falls in Dominica. Welcome. Magnificent, magnificent. Few people have the chance to see these falls because, as you have seen, access is not easy. Only the bravest make it. That’s what makes it such a special place. An incredible place. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Wow! Amazing! Moses Rasta peace love brother. It’s rolling. This is my friend Sophie. Sophie, nice to meet you. Sophie. Welcome to my home. This is where I live. Nice to meet you. Wow! You’re so beautiful. Hi. Wow! Thank you, Rasta Faray. Love to you and forever. Welcome, Sophie. That’s what I always say. We’re happy to find refuge with you. How beautiful it was up there. Oh yeah, great. Yes, yes, yes, yes. Do you take the time to go there a little? Yes, I go there from time to time. And can we have a coffee with you? Yes, we’ll do that. That’s why you’re here. Of course, you can. Yes, thank you very much for coming to see me. It’s a pleasure to have you. If Jamaica is considered the capital of Rastafarian culture, Dominica could well be the new Eden of this community. Here, Rastas represent 10% of the population. Most of them are farmers like Roy Hormont who grow herbs from the traditional pharmacopoeia. For my health and that of my family, we never needed to go to a pharmacy. My ancestors taught me that nature provides us with everything we need. In his garden, more than a hundred species of plants grow in symbiosis with their environment. This plant has a French name. Men and the elderly take it to clear their minds and stay relaxed. This plant was used by the Indians of Dominica. If you smell these flowers, it soothes headaches. Stevia is 400 times sweeter than sugar cane. And yet, it’s sugar-free and also alleviates the effects of diabetes. This is very important because it is the Rastas who maintain the traditions of our grandparents: medicinal herbs and organic farming. Without the restas, all of this would have been lost. However, when it emerged in the 1970s, Rasta culture wasn’t very well received. In 1978, the government of Dominica passed a law against dreadlocks and Rastas. We just wanted to live a natural life. That morning, I was driving my fruit truck and was stopped by the police because of my hairstyle and put in jail. I was the first Asta at the police station that morning. But now, things have changed. And indeed, today, dreadlocks, like Rastas, have entered the fabric of Dominican society. Among them, Édouard Aline, who practices a profession where appearance matters. He is a lawyer. This is the office of a Rasta lawyer. This is A Sécier, my spiritual father. A Sécier, the Ethiopian emperor considered a messiah by all Rastas, sits prominently next to the penal code. Edward has been a highly regarded lawyer for 20 years, but especially a Rasta for almost half a century, which explains his long dreadlocks. A hairstyle that symbolizes spirituality and nonconformity. I place them on my shoulders or else I wrap them up and put a turban over them. And he, too, had to fight against prejudice. In the early 70s, there was this preconception that if you had dreadlocks, you were suspected of being violent or a thief. After 40 years, society is used to having dreadlocks on people who work in professions as diverse as doctors, lawyers, and engineers. Now, people no longer judge us on our appearance. It works. I call this one the Rasta cactus. It grew like long dreadlocks. Off to the courthouse. He’s a very good lawyer. My twin brother is himself a Rasta. So, you know, I’m used to it. Dominica even has a few Rasta politicians. Enough to perhaps imagine a president with dreadlocks one day. Meanwhile, as night falls, a small melody fills the reedy streets. Music also plays a central role among the Rasta. Atunia Alan is one of the leading lights of the new generation of artists. With his reget band, he performs throughout the Caribbean. I feel like an ambassador for my country. We’re a small island. But we can do great things, even with our limited means, if we can make our beautiful music known outside of Dominica, well, that’s perfect. It’s a special island connected to the elements and nature. That’s what we believe in as Rasta. So, living in a country like Dominica that produces good organic food and pure water. What more could a Rasta living here ask for? Ah, well, there’s your dad. Welcome to my father’s souvenir shop. Hi. Hi Sophie. Welcome. Ah, I’m happy to see what you’re doing. Well, that’s pretty. In fact, I use everything around me, especially the wood of the aborescent fern. My son and I go to the forest to cut this fern wood. We cut it at the roots to be able to create my works. It’s the densest part. And look there, it’s calab, to understand calasse. In fact, at the beginning, it’s a fruit that you dry. Yes, a fruit that once dried becomes very hard. It is perfect for making all kinds of things. In the same genre, we have the coconut here. And how did you start doing this? What made you want to get into this craft? I chose this job because I like being an artist because you see, I really like art. And you, so have you made some of them? I don’t make them, but to help out, I collect fruit so my father can take care of it. Family work, that’s exactly it’s a family affair. I hope Nier that we’ll be lucky and that we’ll be able to see whales. Now, we’re leaving the island for the open sea. I’m crossing my fingers. Yeah, fingers crossed. The coast of Dominica is very deep. It’s 300 m deep. That’s one of the reasons why the CAC like to come here and also because there are very few boat crossings and lots of food. Generally, it’s cachals we’re looking for. They’re deep divers. They spend more than 90% of their time at the bottom of the water. To feed, they go deep. It’s dark and they can’t see anything. So, they use echo to hunt. That’s the sound we’re hoping to hear. Our microphone has a range of 7 km. It’s multidirectional, so we can tell where the sound is coming from. Listen carefully. Try to put aside the water sounds. There’s a steady noise. It’s coming from in front of us. OK, good news. So that’s good news. We hear something. It’s such a magical animal. Yes! We’re right next to it. Wow! Ah, the blowing like that from the whale. It’s magical. After a deep dive, the cachal comes up. It takes about 52 breaths of air before diving back down. So every time it blows, it’s one breath. Yes, a breath, a breath. She’s going to dive back in. If you want a picture of the tail, now’s the time. P Okay Nadier, what did you think of this sea trip? It was incredible. It was the first time and I loved it. Great! Listen, I’m happy because it was to thank you for your kindness and hospitality here in Dominica and it was also a gift for you at the same time because it’s always a pleasure to take you with me in my luggage for all these years. Well, I hope you enjoyed this trip. You saw that they are very contrasting islands. I ‘ll let you choose between Saint-Bartelémi and Dominica or Mariegalante. I’ll let you discover them if you have the chance to come here too. If you want to relive these adventures , well, you know, there’s the replay. We can also keep in touch on social networks . I send you big kisses. I’ll see you soon and have a great trip. Bye bye.

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De Saint-Barth à la Dominique – Échappées belles 16 février 2019

Saint-Barthélémy et la Dominique se partagent les mêmes eaux des Caraïbes. Leur localisation en fait des voisines mais chacune des îles a son identité, son âme, son histoire. Une diversité qui les placent souvent aux antipodes. Au Sud, la Dominique est l’île nature des Caraïbes tandis qu’au nord, Saint-Barthélémy se concentre sur un tourisme de luxe. Les deux îles s’opposent mais revêtent toutes deux un caractère profondément intimiste. Sophie Jovillard commence son voyage à Saint-Barthélémy par une visite de la capitale, Gustavia.
Au sommaire :
– Les petites mains du luxe
– Saint Barth, eldorado pour jeunes artisans
– Le paradis des oiseaux
– Visiter pour reconstruire
– Au royaume des rastas
– L’île des amoureux des sports aquatiques

Sophie Jovillard, Tiga, Ismaël Khelifa et Jérôme Pitorin se relayent le samedi à 20h50 sur france5 pour vous faire découvrir des échappées aussi belles que lointaines.