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The island has a lot of desirable French products, from designer fashions for women and men and sensual lingerie to French china and liqueurs. As for local handicrafts, you can find attractive wood carvings, madras table linens, island dolls dressed in madras, woven straw baskets and hats, and salakos—fishermen's hats made of split bamboo, some covered in madras—which make great wall decorations. Of course, the favorite Guadeloupean souvenir is rum. Look for rhum vieux, the top of the line. Be aware that the only liquor bottles allowed on planes have to be bought in the duty-free shops at the airport. Usually the shops have to deliver purchases to the aircraft. For foodies, the market ladies sell aromatic fresh spices, crisscrossed with cinnamon sticks, in little baskets lined with madras.
The line of fashionable resort wear for women and children sold here is designed by French painter Jean Claude Le Gall. Pieces have hand-painted figures like turtles and dolphins on high-quality cotton knits. Branches of this French favorite are located at Bas-du-Fort Marina and on Les Saintes. A gift from this store is considered prestigious back in mainland France.
Destreland, Grande-Terre's largest, most modern shopping mall, has more than 180 boutiques, restaurants, and stores. This commercial center is a few minutes from the airport, which is a shopping destination in its own right.
Across from the market, Dody is the place to go if you want white eyelet lace blouses, skirts, dresses, even bustiers. A single item can cost up to €300. Madras clothing is both traditional and contemporary, and it looks especially cute in children's clothing. A line of colorful, Carnival-inspired, tropical dresses is a knockout. For men, there are Creole suits and cool madras shirts, and there's a line of Bebe Creole. Many styles have reduced prices, and there are special-occasion "costumes"—wedding, communion, and confirmation dresses, all in white eyelet. Those who love designer ensembles based in Guadeloupean tradition can also shop online.
This classy boutique is something that you might expect to find in St. Barth or St. Martin, not on the out-island of Marie-Galante. The shop is a mélange of cosmetics, perfumes, beachwear, vintage cards and art, seagrass baskets, and coffee-table books on the island's history and culture. Products are all natural from Guadeloupe and St. Martin—glamorous cosmetics to essential oils, along with bug spray (which you will need on this island). And then there are some accessories like French sunglasses, flip-flop wedgies and utilitarian ones with recycled rubber from Kenya, and beads and original jewelry by island designers like Nathalie Julan. If you're lucky, you may come on a day when an evening soirée is planned—something literary, with a guitarist and flutist performing, or a beauty makeover.
Bijoux is the French word for jewelry, and Madras Bijoux specializes in replicas of authentic creole jewelry—like multi-strand gold bead necklaces. The shop also creates custom designs and does repairs.
At this shop, which resembles a yacht, you'll find batik creations and clothing in luminescent seashell and blue shades. Ladies love pareus (wraparound fabric for skirts) in the colors of the sea, from pale green to deep turquoise, as well as the jewelry. For both men and ladies, there are authentic Panama hats—tropical fedoras (not inexpensive) in classic white and tropical colors. There are also several lines of women's clothing by French designers (like Nathalie Joubert), tunics, crocheted tops, and tiered long skirts. Many items are quite expensive but cool and lightweight. And here, silkscreen is the real deal.
Artist Pascal Foy produces stunning homages to traditional Creole architecture: paintings of houses that incorporate collage make marvelous wall hangings. As his fame has grown, media attention has expanded and prices have risen. You are more likely to find a family member manning the shop nowadays.
This boutique is owned by a Frenchwoman with characteristic good taste. Ladies will find French and Italian fashions here—cool, lightweight skirts and dresses, stylish shade hats for protection from the island's strong sun, jewelry, sandals, accessories, and hip clothes for little girls.
The village has 15 boutiques offering a wide selection of local crafts, including art composed of shells, wood, and stone. One of the outlets sells authentic Panama hats. It is located under a tent across from the waterfront as you first drive into the village.
"Invite the sea to your table" is Cap Creole's motto. This shop just across from the sea sells smoked fish par excellence. Since 1996 it has been taking the catch of the local fishermen—tuna, marlin, mahimahi, thazard—smoking it, and vacuum packing it. More recently, they have added other products, notably boudin (sausage) of fish, conch, and crab in 1-kilo packets. And there are a lot more local gourmet products. This is great stuff if you're in a self-catering villa and want to have appetizers before going out to dinner, or if you want to pack a picnic for a secluded beach.
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