HISTORY
St Lucia was inhabited between 1000 and 500 BC by the Arawak Indians, who were subsequently conquered by the Caribs. Columbus was the first European to discover St Lucia in 1499, followed by the British, and in 1667, the French.
This much-coveted island was under alternate British and French rule for the next 150 years before it was finally ceded to the British in 1814, attaining full independence in the British Commonwealth in 1979. Today, there are still many signs of the influences left by both cultures; the British contributed language, education, legal and political systems, whereas the French influenced the music and the food.
St Lucia boasts many historic sites such as Pigeon Island National Park and Fort Rodney. Other must-see destinations include Marigot Bay (a striking yacht haven on the west coast), Diamond Falls and Mineral Baths (built by French king Louis XVI), and former French capital Soufrière. The British contributed language, education, legal and political systems. The French influenced the music and the food.