On Saturday, March 4th, 2023 the multiple award winner, Fond Doux Eco-Resort held a ceremony to open the Fond Doux Historical Park, the first of its kind in Saint Lucia.
The park boasts an Eighteenth-Century French Fortress, prison cells, a shrine, nature trails, picnic areas, Kaye Flore, an interpretation centre and washrooms.
The park is located on the main ambush site of the famous Battle of Rabot which took place in 1795 between the Neg Maron (Black Maroons) supported by the French Revolutionaries against the British. About two hundred soldiers lost their lives in that Battle. The Battle of Rabot precipitated in the British fleeing the island two months later ushering in l’année de la Liberté, year of freedom from colonial rule in June 19th, 1795.
Lyton and Eroline Lamontagne, the owners and Directors of Fond Doux Eco Resort, hopes that the Fond Doux Historical Park becomes one of the leading sites and attraction in Soufriere and Saint Lucia by extension.
“We would like the Fond Doux Historical Park to be utilized by the schools to educate our students about the true history of Saint Lucia. One of our objectives is to ensure that our national heroine, Flore Bois Gaillard attains her rightful place in our history”, avowed director, Eroline Lamontagne.
Fond Doux Historical Park is open to visitors every day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Management has introduced a special discount entry fee for the first three months of operations. Visitors to the park can choose to have a guided tour or to enjoy the site without the services of a tour guide. The park is located on the opposite side of the road from the resort and is served by a very large car park. A snackette, additional nature trails, a wedding gazebo and gift and souvenir shop are some of the additions that will be made in the near future.
Fond Doux Eco Resort is a 19th century, Saint Lucian owned, managed and staffed eco-friendly resort. It is situated amidst a 250-year old traditional working estate and features seventeen uniquely designed, private and exclusive cottages, two on-site restaurants serving ‘Farm to Table’ cuisine, organic spa, boutique, triple cascading pools, and the ‘Plas Cacao’ chocolate shop. The resort is conveniently located a few minutes from St. Lucia’s main attractions, including the Sulphur Springs Park – ‘The Caribbean’s only drive-in volcano’ – and the best diving sites on the island, all within the prestigious Piton Management Area (PMA), UNESCO World Heritage Site.