Gros Islet District – Pigeon Island and the pirate 'Jambe de Bois'
Gros Islet District, in the far north of Saint Lucia, has a colourful past. In the 1550s the French pirate François Le Clerc, nicknamed 'Jambe de Bois' because of his wooden leg, used Pigeon Island as a base to attack Spanish ships, and he is remembered as the first European to settle on Saint Lucia. Long before him, Arawak and Carib peoples lived here, leaving artefacts dating to around 1000 AD.
Thanks to its good anchorage, Gros Islet harbour attracted French and British ships, and by 1775 the French had established 47 sugar plantations in the district. The area later saw fighting between the two powers. Today Gros Islet is known for its lively village and coastline. Have a Gros Islet story? Share it with the community!