Guadeloupe, a French overseas department in the Caribbean, is a butterfly-shaped archipelago with Basse-Terre’s volcanic peaks and Grande-Terre’s beaches, centered around Pointe-à-Pitre. Known for rum, Creole cuisine, and the active La Soufrière volcano, it blends French governance with island life. Tourism, bananas, and sugar drive its economy, while its carnival and zouk music pulse with energy. Guadeloupe offers a tropical taste of France.