Nicegran

Hi everyone,
It's my first time. My hubby and I are seriously considering a move to the Butterfly islands of Guadaloupe in the Caribbean. I am 63 the other half is 65. We are both UK Citizens. Are there any UK ex pats out there who can give me any info on cost of living, house prices, language spoken, businesses and especially visa's?
Any info would be great

bakedbean

Hello there and welcome to the forum

Sounds like an exciting move. If you go to the main index page of this forum and scroll down to Rest of the World, you'll see a tab for Caribbean.....and that's the best place for you to ask some questions. I have no idea if we have any forum posters in Guadeloupe but there's one way to find out.

Happy planning

dmu

Hi, and welcome to the Forum!
Guadaloupe being an Overseas Département of France, they speak French and have more or less the same Laws as in France. I presume you wouldn't need visa's, since it's theoretically in the EU (but check on that at your nearest French Consulate!).
Can't help re cost of living, but it must be high as many things are imported, as is the unemployment rate. Much higher than in Continental France, in turn higher than the UK.
You could post again in the France forum, but AFAIK there aren't any BE members in Guadaloupe. You'd do better to enquire at the French Consulate, as the other Caribbean islands, except for Martinique, have their own laws, rules and regulations....

Pistolpete2

Guadaloupe is part of France and therefore the EU so no need for a visa. We come and go to sister Martinique at will on our UK passports and when in Martinique en-route to Paris are on a domestic flight.

They speak French in Martinique and Guadaloupe but they also speak Lesser Antilles Creole French Patois* which is a blend of French and African dialects. In our experience, they do not really speak much English.

*Also spoken in Haiti, Dominica, St Lucia and Grenada. In the country(side) of St Lucia, more people speak patois -than English - as their first language and I would think it the same in the French islands.

Best (cheapest and nicest) way to reach Guadaloupe from Europe is on the French Caribbean carrier out of Paris Orly - Air Caraibes.

Nicegran

Thanks everyone, I already feel part of the family!

Pistolpete2

I was guilty of this one too - GuadEloupe is the French Island.

The Guadalupes are mostly in the States.

BTW, Ferry service (on top of air service) connects St Lucia, Martinique, Dominica and Guadeloupe, plus the Saintes Iles and Marie Galante.

dmu

Oooops, I didn't notice either!!
If the Guadalupes (which I've never heard of) are in the States, then the OP should post again on the USA forum....
.... but having just checked, they seem to be Mexican and on the Pacific side....
Can the OP specify exactly where they are thinking of moving to?

Pistolpete2

OP wanted butterfly island in the Caribbean - That's Guadeloupe.

There are Guadalupes all over former Spanish America incl Mexico but the island named by Columbus, after the same Virgin Mary (Our lady of Guadalupe), is spelled - now by the French - differently. It is actually named after a particular spot named for Our Lady - Guadalupe in Extremadura so it seems - important trivia there.

dmu

OK, so it was a typo in the title and it is the French Département Guadeloupe
I repeat my recommendation to consult the French Consulate or google for info on the questions that haven't been answered. The OP should also check that their healthcare coverage as EU retirees stretches over the Atlantic.
Sorry can't help more!

Pistolpete2

UK Gov has this for Martinique, so it also applies for Guadeloupe:

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-ad...tinique/health