Pigeon Island, St. Lucia: The Fort on the Causeway
A former island joined to the mainland, with two forts, two beaches and the best short climb here.
Why Go
Pigeon Island was an island until the 1970s, when a causeway joined it to the north of St. Lucia, and it is now a national landmark covering a headland of dry forest, ruined military buildings and two small beaches. The climb to Fort Rodney takes about twenty minutes and delivers the view along the whole north-west coast and, on a clear day, across to Martinique. It is the best-value half-day on the island and it sits ten minutes from Rodney Bay.
The Experience
The headland is bigger than it looks from the road: paths run through scrub and up two separate peaks, past barracks, a powder magazine, gun emplacements and the officers' mess, all left in a state of managed ruin by the Saint Lucia National Trust. Fort Rodney occupies the lower summit and is where the view is; Signal Peak behind it is higher, steeper and much less visited. Between them the ground is quiet and the birds are loud. At sea level there are two beaches on either side of the neck, both sheltered and calm, with restaurants at the causeway end. In May the site becomes one of the main venues for the jazz festival, and the character changes completely for a week. The causeway that joined it to the mainland was built to create the Rodney Bay marina behind, so the landmark you walk on today exists in its current form because of a development project, which is a very St. Lucian piece of history. The two peaks were fortified because this channel was the route between the French base at Martinique and the British one further north, and whoever held the heights could watch the other fleet move.
What to Try
Climb Fort Rodney — it is a steady twenty minutes on a rough path in full sun, and the view from the gun platform over Rodney Bay, the marina and the channel to Martinique is the best on this half of the island. Carry on up Signal Peak if you have the legs and the water. Walk the ruins with the Saint Lucia National Trust interpretation, which explains why a small island had this much artillery on it. Then swim at one of the two beaches. For food, The Naked Fisherman and Josephine's sit on the sand nearby, The Cliff at Cap is the serious dinner on the headland above, and I-tal and Amici cover the informal end. Sealife Paradise and St Lucia Sea Trek run the water activities, and Island Buggies the land ones.
Insider Tip
Go early and take more water than you think. There is almost no shade on either climb, the path is loose underfoot, and by eleven the rock is radiating heat — most people who find the ascent unpleasant simply came at the wrong time of day. Aim to be at the fort by nine, have the view to yourself, and be back at sea level for a swim before the tour groups arrive from the cruise terminal at Castries.
The Practical Stuff
Pigeon Island is about ten minutes from Rodney Bay, fifteen from Gros Islet and twenty-five from Castries, at the northern end of the island along the causeway. Hewanorra International at Vieux Fort is roughly an hour and three-quarters south. There is an entry fee to the national landmark, which funds the National Trust's upkeep, and parking at the gate. Driving is on the LEFT and a temporary local permit is required. The site keeps daytime hours and closes in the late afternoon, so it is a morning rather than a sunset destination unless there is an event on. St. Lucia is in the hurricane belt, roughly June to November, and the paths become slippery after rain.
Common Questions
Is Pigeon Island still an island?
No — a causeway built in the 1970s joined it to the mainland at the north of St. Lucia. It is now a national landmark covering the headland, with two forts and two beaches.
How long is the climb to Fort Rodney?
About twenty minutes on a rough, unshaded path. The view from the top covers Rodney Bay, the marina and the channel toward Martinique. Signal Peak behind it is higher and steeper.
Is there an entry fee?
Yes, charged at the gate and funding the Saint Lucia National Trust's upkeep of the site. Parking is at the entrance and the landmark keeps daytime hours.
Are there beaches at Pigeon Island?
Two, on either side of the neck of land, both sheltered and calm with restaurants nearby. They are good swimming beaches rather than dramatic ones.
How far is Pigeon Island from Rodney Bay?
About ten minutes along the causeway, and fifteen from Gros Islet. That makes it the easiest half-day out from the island's main tourist area.
When should you visit?
Early morning. There is no shade on the climbs, the ground gets very hot by mid-morning, and tour groups arrive later from the cruise terminal at Castries.
Pair It With
- Fort Rodney — The climb and the view that justify the entry fee.
- The Naked Fisherman — The swim and the meal at the bottom.
- Saint Lucia National Trust — What the ruins actually were.
