Pigeon Island has a spicy history dating back to the 1550s when St Lucia's first French settler, Jambe de Bois ('Wooden Leg'), used it as a base for raiding passing Spanish ships. Two centuries later British admiral George Rodney fortified the island, using it to monitor the French fleet on Martinique. With the end of hostilities between the two European rivals, the fort slipped into disuse in the 19th century, although the USA established a small signal station there during WWII.

In the 1970s a sandy causeway was constructed between Gros Islet and Pigeon Island, turning the island into a peninsula, and in 1979 Pigeon Island was established as a national park. It's a fun place to explore, with walking paths winding around the scattered remains of Fort Rodney, whose partially intact stone buildings resemble a ghost town. The beautiful beach is so peaceful you're likely to find it populated only by cows lazing under shady trees and a couple of milling pigs. Unfortunately it's often littered with trash and broken bottles, especially at the village end.

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Summary|Culture|History
Castries|Pigeon Island National Park|Rodney Bay