Lamentin (French pronunciation: [lamɑ̃tɛ̃]; Guadeloupean Creole: Manten or Lamanten) is a commune in the French overseas department and region of Guadeloupe. It is part of the agglomeration of Pointe-à-Pitre, in the north part of Basse-Terre. Three islets are included in the commune: Christopher, Fajou, Caret.
History
Founded in 1720 in the commune’s name comes from a French word for manatee (lamantin), a sea creature which used to inhabit the Lesser Antilles. In the 18th century, the commune underwent a boom, down to coffee, caco, cotton and sugar cane. In 1920, a cyclone destroyed the mayor’s office and presbytery, which have since been rebuilt by Ali Tur.
Population

| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | 8,919 | — |
| 1974 | 9,643 | +1.12% |
| 1982 | 9,885 | +0.31% |
| 1990 | 11,334 | +1.72% |
| 1999 | 13,434 | +1.91% |
| 2007 | 15,785 | +2.04% |
| 2012 | 15,624 | −0.20% |
| 2017 | 16,573 | +1.19% |
| 2023 | 18,628 | +1.97% |
| Source: INSEE[3] | ||
Tourism
Lamentin is home to La Ravine Chaude (The hot ravine), a thermal bathing centre.
Education
Public preschools include:[4]
- Ecole maternelle le Verger de Castel
- Ecole maternelle Julien Chabin
- Ecole maternelle Blanche Pierre
- Ecole maternelle Pierrette
Public primary schools include:[4]
- Ecole primaire Bourg 1 Lamentin
- Ecole primaire Bourg 2 Lamentin
- Ecole primaire Castel
- Ecole primaire La Rozière
- Ecole primaire Pierrette
- Ecole primaire Vincent
Public junior high schools include:[5]
- Collège Appel du 18 juin
Public senior high schools include:[5]
Personalities
- René Toribio (1912-1990), politician
References
- ^ “Répertoire national des élus: les maires” (in French). data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises. 4 May 2022.
- ^ “Populations de référence 2023” (in French). National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 18 December 2025.
- ^ Population municipale entre 1968 et 2023, INSEE
- ^ a b “LISTE DES ECOLES PUBLIQUES ET PRIVEES SOUS CONTRAT.” Académie de la Guadeloupe. Retrieved on 10 March 2018.
- ^ a b “Établissements du 2nd degré PUBLIC 2017-2018 Archived 2018-03-07 at the Wayback Machine.” Académie de la Guadeloupe. Retrieved on 10 March 2018.
External links
Media related to Lamentin at Wikimedia Commons