Sargassum at Plage du Bourg, Sainte-Anne: today's conditions
Clear
Clean
Plage du Bourg runs along the seafront of Sainte-Anne, on the south coast of Grande-Terre in Guadeloupe. It is the town beach: shops, the craft market and the coconut palms sit right behind the sand, which is why it fills up early.
This page tracks sargassum at Plage du Bourg. You get a rating from 0 to 5, a plain reading of what the shoreline looks like today, and a map that places the beach within the wider south coast. Everything is refreshed each morning, so you can choose your spot before you get in the car.
Plage du Bourg on the sargassum map
What to know about this beach
Sainte-Anne faces the open Atlantic, and that single fact drives the rest. Easterly trade winds carry drifting sargassum rafts towards this side of Grande-Terre, and a beach that opens to the south east takes what the wind and swell deliver. Beaches on the Caribbean side of the archipelago sit in the lee and see far fewer landings.
The bourg does have one advantage: a fringing reef closes off the bay and holds a shallow, quiet lagoon behind it. That reef slows part of what arrives offshore. Whatever does get across, or drifts in through the gaps, tends to stay put, because the lagoon has little current to flush it back out. Conditions can swing within a couple of days.
Frequently asked questions
Why does sargassum reach Plage du Bourg?
The beach opens south east onto the Atlantic, and the trade winds push drifting rafts straight onto this coast. The fringing reef stops some of it offshore, but it never works as a sealed barrier.
How do I check the beach before heading down?
Open the FanGass map on the morning of your visit. It scores Plage du Bourg from 0 to 5, alongside the rest of the south coast, and the reading is renewed every day.
When is sargassum most likely here?
Landings cluster between spring and late summer, when rafts drift in from the tropical Atlantic. The pattern is not fixed, though: a heavy week can be followed by a clear one, which is why daily checks help.
Where else can I go if the town beach is affected?
Bois Jolan and Raisins-Clairs are a short drive along the same coast and often differ. For a bigger contrast, cross to the leeward Caribbean shore of Basse-Terre, sheltered from these easterly drifts.