Fort Napoléon des Saintes, Military fortress in Terre-de-Haut, France.

Fort Napoléon des Saintes is an irregular octagonal fortification on Morne Mire, built of locally quarried stone. Eight bastions are linked by curtain walls about ten metres high above the ditches, with a 400-metre rampart walk. In the central courtyard stands a three-level barracks of seven bays, topped by a paved terrace with parapet, loopholes and six corbelled machicolations.

A first fortin, Fort Louis, was built on Morne Mire between 1777 and 1779, renamed Fort Napoléon in 1805 and razed by the British in 1809. Rebuilt from 1816 to 1840, it was replaced by a bastioned fortification whose works ran from 1844 to 1867, with a pause between 1849 and 1857. The garrison left in 1889 and the discipline company in 1890.

The fort houses a museum dedicated to the history of the Saintes, allowing visitors to learn about the region's past and the role this structure played in local conflicts. You can see how Caribbean life was shaped by military and colonial influences.

Morning visits offer the best conditions with fewer crowds and good lighting for exploring the site. A botanical garden on the grounds provides shade and a pleasant area to rest while examining the military remains.

During World War II, the Vichy regime used the fort as an internment camp for French citizens of Italian and Lebanese origin. Among them was Paul Valentino, a Resistance figure and Guadeloupe deputy, who escaped from the fort.