HISTORY OF CHOISEUL

Choiseul was originally known as Anse Citron because of the large number of lime (citron) trees that were grown here, particularly near what is now known as Choiseul Village. St. Lucia became a dependency of Martinique in June 1744.

When the Treaty of Paris was signed ceding St. Lucia to the French in 1763 the locals began calling it Duc De Choiseul after the then French Minister for Foreign Affairs.

In 1765 Choiseul became an independent parish, no longer attached to any other communities. Its first Parish Priest was Abbe Jean-Jacques (Joseph) Gerfroy and the church register began with him in this year.

By 1769 an official census was taken and recorded 78 whites, 25 free coloured, 512 Negroes, and 69 estates in Choiseul. These figures included all men, women and children. In April 1793 a new list of names and quarters prepared for St. Lucia made "Choiseul” the districts official name.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, River Doree was the main center of activity in the district; in fact, early St. Lucia maps note River Doree and nothing else in the Choiseul district. The large lagoon near the bay in River Doree made the area very accessible and became the main port for the region.

This community housed the “Bourgeois” of the district, most of whom were estate owners. The first school in the district was built in this area in 1838. Also at this time the Church of England was becoming more active around the island.

The Anglican Church in River Doree was built in 1846 and consecrated in 1849.

CHOISEUL VILLAGE

Choiseul Village is one of the smaller and therefore quieter and more charming villages on the west coast of St. Lucia. With numerous businesses including bars, small restaurants, the Choiseul Credit Union where visitors can exchange money, Choiseul Arts and Craft Center, and Crafty Creations, it has something to offer everyone.

At the Choiseul Fisheries Co-Op you can buy many varieties of fresh local fish caught daily. On Saturday mornings the village has a local produce market where you can buy everything in season directly from the farmers at the best prices.

The last Friday of the month, Choiseul has a fish fry known as “Fet Pweson.” In the center of the village is Choiseul’s main Catholic Church known as “Our Lady of Lourdes.” At the far end of the village is a small beach perfect for a dip.

CHOISEUL

Choiseul is widely known as the craft capital of St. Lucia. The crafts practiced widely throughout Choiseul have been passed down from generation to generation using the oral tradition and can be traced back to the Carib and Arawak Indians that first settled on the island.

Choiseul is located on the South West part of St. Lucia between the Town of Soufriere and the village of Laborie. It is a very geographically diverse community with villages on the coast, on flat farm land, and way up in the hills.

The district is perhaps the most rural in all of St. Lucia because its people are spread throughout in small clusters rather than mostly centered around one centralized village as is seen in most of the island. Most of the people in Choiseul are fishermen or farmers but more and more are seeking work in the capital or in neighboring communities. Countless crops are farmed here from coconut and limes to tomatoes and breadfruit.

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