Soufrière Quarter
| Soufrière | |
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| Quarter | |
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| Coordinates: 13°51′N 61°03′W / 13.850°N 61.050°WCoordinates: 13°51′N 61°03′W / 13.850°N 61.050°W | |
| Country | St. Lucia |
Soufrière is a quarter on the Southwest coast of Saint Lucia in the West Indies. Soufrière was the former capital of Saint Lucia during times of French rule. It is now a small sleepy fishing port with an emerging tourism industry. It boasts several attractions including a "drive-in" volcano, the Diamond Botanical Gardens with waterfall (briefly featured in the Superman II movie) and historic mineral baths, plus the nearby beaches of Anse Chastanet to the north and Malgretout to the south.
The nearby plantation at Anse Mamin formerly Malmaison was at one time owned by Gaspard-Joseph Tascher de La Pagerie father of Josephine de Beauharnais. Although the exact locale of her birth has been the subject of dispute by historians -notable figures such as Henry H Breen, Mayor of Castries and Mme. Darlas Delomel, her childhood friend claim she was born in St Lucia, then baptized at five weeks in Martinique- it is certain that the Empress spent much of her childhood on her father's plantation.
Framing the town to the south are the picturesque Pitons - comprising the Gros Piton and Petit Piton. They rise directly up from the coral reef beds and form part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The region is popular for snorkeling and scuba diving.
Soufrière doubled as the fictional town Port Agnes, capital of the equally fictional island of Cascara in the 1985 comedy movie Water. The movies Creature and White Squall were also filmed there.
Piton Valley, part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site near Soufrière
Malgretout Beach, looking north towards Soufrière
Catholic Church and Central square, Soufrière, April 2007
The Pitons at Soufrière
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Wikipedia