Christopher Columbus was the first European to set foot in Guadeloupe. He was on his second trip to the Americas, and set foot on the island, seeking fresh water. Columbus christened the island Santa Maria de Guadalupe de Extremadura, named after the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe.
It was the French however, who were the first European settlers in the island. In the year 1635, the French landed in the island of Basse-Terre and claimed Guadeloupe for France. They drove the native Caribs off the island, established agriculture in the islands and soon, Guadeloupe had its first sugar mill. The island was officially annexed by France in 1674.
Britain made several attempts in invading Guadeloupe. They were able to develop Pointe-à-Pitre into a major harbor, which opened the island to trading with North America and Europe. It was also due to this that Guadeloupean businesses were able to import cheap raw materials and food from America. Guadeloupe reverted back to French rule in 1753 upon the signing of the Treaty of Paris. Guadeloupe is one of France’s 26 regions (as an overseas region). Guadeloupe’s currency is the euro, since it’s considered as part of the European Union. However, Guadeloupe is not part of the Schengen Agreement.
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