Vanille de Guadeloupe

Cédric Coutellier settled in Guadeloupe in 1998 and launched his vanilla production in 2005, before becoming a tenant of the Office National des Forêts in 2010. Under the name Vanigwa, he cultivates two species of organic vanilla using agroforestry in the département- and state-owned forest of Basse-Terre, in Sainte-Rose, within the optimal protection zone (aire d'adhésion) of the Parc National de la Guadeloupe — a production certified 'Esprit Parc National'.

His vanilla earned him the gold medal at the Concours Général Agricole, at the Salon International de l'Agriculture in Paris, in the Vanilla Fragans Planifolia category in 2020 and again in 2024. Vanigwa offers a discovery tour of the forest vanilla plantation, by reservation, as well as a workshop on taking cuttings.

On the edge of the Parc National de Guadeloupe, in the commune of Sainte-Rose, Frédéric Mauranyapin manages the Florsia estate through agroforestry: coconut trees, beehives, and a vanilla plantation grown under the shade of the forest. Two species of vanilla grow there: pompona, native to Mexico, with large, mild, and subtle pods, and planifolia, with smaller but more intensely fragrant pods; the produce is accredited with the 'Esprit Parc' mark, created by the Parc National de Guadeloupe to distinguish producers who use traditional and environmentally sound methods. The estate's bees help pollinate the crops and provide a forest honey harvested in small quantities.

The estate can be visited by advance booking: a two-hour guided walk, open to children from 3 years old, introduces visitors to the life of the hives, the vanilla plantation — flower pollination and the ripening of the pods — followed by the traditional, by-hand production of extra virgin, first cold-pressed coconut oil, with complimentary refreshments and a tasting of honey and jam depending on the season. Florsia sells its vanilla, coconut oil, and honey through an online shop and distribution points across Guadeloupe.

Run by Yannick Verger, this certified organic farm in Sainte-Rose, on the leeward coast of Basse-Terre, cultivates one of only three vanilla productions in Guadeloupe bearing the "Esprit Parc National" label — a guarantee of traceability for anyone wishing to be certain they are not buying a pod imported from Madagascar. The farm is located in the Béron/Cacao/Comté de Lohéac area, under canopy agroforestry, a few kilometres from the village centre.

Beyond vanilla, Les Vergers Productions grows fresh fruit and vegetables and processes part of its harvest by artisanal methods: sugar cane, groseille-pays and guava juices, and homemade banana, medlar or vanilla smoothies. The farm can be visited on request, in particular to discover the vanilla plantation and how it is cultivated.