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A 30 to 40m charter yacht Guadeloupe in the 2026 winter season prices at $86,000 to $128,000 per week peak (mid-December through mid-April), plus a 25 percent APA, takes 8 to 10 guests, and bases out of Marina Bas-du-Fort in Pointe-a-Pitre, which holds 1,000 berths and 12 to 18 in the 30 to 40m bracket on a Saturday in February. Guadeloupe is a French overseas department; the standard EU and French regulations apply, the language of operation is French, and the cruising fleet is overwhelmingly French-flagged. The cruising area covers Guadeloupe's two main islands (Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre), Les Saintes, Marie-Galante, and La Desirade across a 60 to 70 nautical mile spread. A typical week pushes south to Dominica or north to Antigua to extend the rotation.
Why Guadeloupe is the French West Indies base
Pointe-a-Pitre is the practical capital of the eastern Caribbean's French charter fleet. Marina Bas-du-Fort has the chandlery, the fuel barge, the provisioning network, and the bareboat-and-crewed mix that makes it the operational base for French-speaking captains and crews the Antilles. Charter clients who specifically want a French-language week (the chef training, the on-board wine list, the regulatory framework) book from here. Charter clients who want the same cruising area in English typically base in Antigua and visit Guadeloupe as a destination.
The 1,000-berth marina capacity makes Guadeloupe the only Caribbean base with the depth to handle a sudden weather contingency for the bracket. The fuel and refit infrastructure is materially better than Antigua, Martinique, or St Lucia.
What the Guadeloupe cruising area offers
Les Saintes. The small island group 8 nautical miles south of Basse-Terre. Terre-de-Haut is the standard overnight, with a small port and the village of Bourg restaurants. The bay at Pain de Sucre is the marquee snorkel anchorage. The single best 24 hours on a Guadeloupe charter and the differentiator versus Antigua.
Marie-Galante. The flat sugar-cane island east of Les Saintes. The anchorages at Saint-Louis and Capesterre are overnight stops; the local rum distilleries (Bielle, Bellevue) are the reason for the visit. A specialist captain pre-arranges a distillery tour.
La Soufriere. The active volcano on the southern half of Basse-Terre, with the Carbet waterfalls and the protected anchorage at Anse a la Barque on the western coast. The hike up Soufriere is a charter excursion if the captain has the local guide arrangement.
Pigeon Island and the Cousteau marine reserve. The diving cluster on the western coast of Basse-Terre, with the wreck of the Augustin Fresnel and the protected reefs of the reserve. The standard diving day for the bracket.
The Grand Cul-de-Sac Marin. The mangrove lagoon between the two main islands. Shallow draft only; the bracket holds at the edge and tenders in. The bird-watching and the empty water are the differentiator.
Weekly rates from Pointe-a-Pitre in 2026 winter
Ranges below are for peak season (mid-December through mid-April) before APA at 25 percent and gratuity at 15 percent. As a French overseas department, Guadeloupe applies French VAT rules; charter VAT is 0 percent for non-EU clients on commercial charters with non-EU bookings, otherwise the standard reduced rate applies.
| LOA bracket | Motor yacht (low to high) | Sailing yacht and motor-sailor (low to high) |
|---|---|---|
| 30 to 33m | $86K to $104K per week | $62K to $86K per week |
| 33 to 36m | $100K to $118K per week | $76K to $102K per week |
| 36 to 40m | $114K to $128K per week | $92K to $122K per week |
Guadeloupe rates run roughly 4 to 6 percent below Antigua-based rates in the same brackets because of the smaller English-language market and the lower marina cost. Christmas-New Year prices at 1.4 to 1.6 times the published peak.
What this bracket does in Guadeloupe
Anchorages. Pain de Sucre and Pompierre at Les Saintes (the marquee), Anse a la Barque on the western coast of Basse-Terre, Anse Colombier on the southern coast of Marie-Galante, the Cousteau reserve at Pigeon Island for the dive day, and Anse Bertrand on the northern tip of Grande-Terre for the rare quiet day on the windward side.
Quay berths. Marina Bas-du-Fort in Pointe-a-Pitre is the base. The IGY Marina at Riviera-Sens on Basse-Terre handles the bracket for the Soufriere-side overnights. Saint-Francois on the eastern side of Grande-Terre is rarely a 30 to 40m base.
Tenders. Two main tenders is standard. The Les Saintes tender ops reward a fast tender for the morning move from anchor to the village quay. The Cousteau reserve dive day rewards the diving partnership tender, not the on-board.
At-anchor stabilizers. Required. Les Saintes anchorages are reasonably protected but the Marie-Galante crossing and the eastern Grande-Terre anchorages take 1m to 2m of trade-wind swell.
Provisioning. Pointe-a-Pitre has the strongest French provisioning in the Caribbean, materially better than Martinique or St Martin for cheese, charcuterie, French wine, and fish. A serious chef on a Pointe-a-Pitre week will work the Carenage market on the embarkation morning.
Trip shapes that work
The 7-night Pointe-a-Pitre round-trip with Les Saintes and Marie-Galante. Two nights Les Saintes, two nights Marie-Galante, two nights Basse-Terre Cousteau and Soufriere coast, one night return. The standard French-language Guadeloupe week.
The 10-night Pointe-a-Pitre to Martinique one-way. Embark Pointe-a-Pitre, two nights Les Saintes, push south to Dominica for two nights, continue to Martinique for three nights, disembark Fort-de-France. The case for the long French-language southern trip.
The 7-night Pointe-a-Pitre with Antigua arc. Embark Pointe-a-Pitre, two nights Les Saintes, push north 50 nautical miles to Antigua for two nights at Falmouth and English Harbour, one night Barbuda's pink beach, two nights return through Deshaies and the Cousteau reserve. The trip for English-French dual-flag clients.
What this bracket does not do well in Guadeloupe
English-only weeks. Captain and crew default to French. Bilingual crews are available but small in number and book early. Specify language requirements at inquiry.
The pure beach week. Guadeloupe's beaches are good but not Antigua's beaches; the trip differentiator is the cultural and dining experience, not the white-sand quotient. Clients who want the Anguilla beach week should book Anguilla.
US-mainland flight convenience. Pointe-a-Pitre's airport (PTP) is well-connected to Paris but the US-mainland connections are thin. Antigua, San Juan, or Miami are the practical US transit airports for a Guadeloupe charter; the layover adds a half-day each way.
Our pick
For a couples-only 7-night Pointe-a-Pitre round-trip in late February: a 33m motor yacht with at-anchor stabilizers, a French-trained chef, and a captain who has worked Les Saintes for at least three seasons. Budget: $108K plus APA, all-in roughly $156K. Booking lead time: 5 months.
For a family of 8, 10 nights in late January Pointe-a-Pitre to Martinique one-way: a 38m motor yacht with strong tender complement and the captain experience for the Dominica crossing. Budget: $185K plus APA, all-in roughly $267K. Booking lead time: 6 months.
What sits next to this page
The neighbouring siblings are 30-40m Martinique, 30-40m Dominica, 30-40m Antigua, and 30-40m St Martin. For destination editorial, see Charter Caribbean. For French West Indies logic, see Best French West Indies charters and Caribbean charter weekly rates.
Land-side context is on VillasForKings Guadeloupe and HotelsForKings Pointe-a-Pitre.