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Rue de la Liberté



This large central park sports grassy lawns, tall trees, clumps of bamboo and lots of benches. The harborside of La Savane has souvenir stalls, a newsstand and statues dedicated to early settlers and fallen soldiers. The park is the center of the action during Carnival and other major events.

At the park's north side, near bustling Rue de la Liberté, is a statue of the Empress Josephine holding a locket with a portrait of Napoleon. You can't miss it - years ago the statue's head was lopped off and red paint splashed over it. No real efforts have been made to repair the damage. Evidently the empress is not highly regarded by islanders. Many believe she was directly responsible for persuading Napoleon to continue slavery in the French West Indies so that her family plantation would not suffer.