Information
Landmark: Petite SavanneCity: La Plaine
Country: Dominica
Continent: North America
Petite Savanne, La Plaine, Dominica, North America
Overview
Honestly, Tucked into Dominica’s south-central hills, Petite Savanne is a small village full of green slopes, farming roots, and lively traditions, and the village, once quiet and surrounded by green hills, struggled after Tropical Storm Erika tore through in 2015, its landslides and floods forcing everyone to leave.Today, it’s a destination where history lingers, culture thrives, and the air hums with the life of the surrounding landscape, along with tucked into Dominica’s rugged mountains, Petite Savanne once sat amid thick tropical rainforest and fertile valleys, with rivers and waterfalls feeding its prosperous farms and lending the air a cool, earthy scent.Just a short distance from Morne Trois Pitons National Park-a UNESCO World Heritage Site-the village was framed by the island’s signature emerald hills, equally important known for its bananas, citrus, dasheen, and other root crops, as well as finely woven grass mats and baskets made from forest plants, it thrived as a close-knit community where Creole music and festivals filled the streets.I think, That changed on August 27, 2015, when Tropical Storm Erika unleashed landslides that swallowed homes, fields, and roads, claiming lives and washing away decades of work, in turn declared unsafe, the village was abandoned, and residents relocated to places like Bellevue Chopin, where new homes rose from fresh concrete.Now, the empty site stands quiet, a stark reminder of how fragile life can be on Caribbean shores once shielded by rainforest teeming with life, and these forests sheltered countless unique plants and animals, from tiny orchids clinging to mossy trunks to rare birds flashing through the canopy.With rivers and waterfalls close enough to hear their rush from the village, it was once a favorite spot for eco-tourists before the storm, as well as just beyond Petite Savanne, you’ll find cascading streams and untouched hillsides, once rich with medicinal plants gathered for traditional remedies.Today the village lies silent, its crumbling homes swallowed by vines and moss, while many former residents have settled in places like the Bellevue Chopin housing community, built with help from partners such as Venezuela, then though it’s far from a main tourist stop, a few hikers and locals still make the trek to witness the land’s slow transformation.Nearby, Morne Trois Pitons National Park-home to Boiling Lake, Trafalgar Falls, and the emerald-green pool that shimmers in the shade-sits within reach, along with Victoria Falls near Delices and the pale, mineral-rich waters of the White River, at the same time petite Savanne may remain deserted, but its wild beauty still holds promise for eco-tourism and scientific discovery.Future plans have to put safety and sustainability first-this region has seen hillsides crumble after heavy rains and storms, while the legacy of Petite Savanne is a story of resilience, like the stubborn green shoots that push through cracked stone after a storm.As far as I can tell, Though they had to walk away from their homes and the historic songs sung at dusk, their culture and community have found new life in other corners of Dominica, on top of that the village still stands as a stark reminder of Dominica’s fragility in the face of climate change, and of how vital sustainable growth and disaster readiness are for small island nations., generally
Author: Tourist Landmarks
Date: 2025-09-11
