Les Cayes A Beautiful Town In Haiti

Les Cayes is a beautiful town located in southwest Haiti. It is the capital of the Sud Department and is situated on the Caribbean coast near the Ravine du Sud River. It is located southwest of Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, at a distance of 196 km. It has six communes including Torbeck, Les Cayes, Maincihe, Camp-Perrin, Île à Vache and Chantal.

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History Of Les Cayes

Since the other cays and small Île à Vache island are located near by, the town was given the name Aux Cayes, which means 'On the Cays'. Even now the old name is kept, besides the new name Les Cayes.

Diego Velázquez founded the town in 1504, which was previously known as Salvatierra de la Zabana. On 7th November 1511, he left for Cuba to take over control of that island. In 1540 the people left Salvatierra de la Zabana completely and in 1726, Les Cayes, the modern town was founded by the French Monsier de la Lance. Simón Bolívar arrived at the town on 24th December 1818 to seek help against the government of Spain in South America. On 10th April 1816 he went to Venezuela, returned back to Les Cayes after losing battles in South America and returned the same year to America.

Famous Personalities Born In Les Cayes Include:
André Rigaud, a mulatto chief, Haitian Revolution
Laurent Geffrard, officer Haitian Revolution
Charles Riviere-Hérard, Haiti's president from 1843 to 1844
Michel Domingue, Haiti's president from 1874 to 1876
Lysius Salomon, Haiti's president from 1879 to 1888
Pierre Théoma Boisrond-Canal, Haiti's president from 1876 to 1879
François C. Antoine Simon, Haiti's president from 1908 to 1911
John James Audubon a French-American naturalist
André Corvington, Olympic fencer
Auguste Davezac, United States Ambassador to the Netherlands

Sightseeing opportunities in Les Cayes include, Marie-Jeanne cave, the Cathedral, Pointe-de-Sable beach at Port-Salut, a beautiful monument, the Gelée Beach, botanical garden, the Saut-Mathurine, Pic Macaya and Île à Vache falls.

Timber, coffee, bananas and sugar are the main produce in Les Cayes and are exported to other regions of Haiti and across the world. Antoine Simon Airport is the main airport for Les Cayes. The airport was given the name of Haiti's President who was born there.

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Read more: Cayes, town, South Department, Francois Antoine Simon, Venezuela, Ravine du Sud River, Diego Velazquez, 1504, Salvatierra de la Zabana, Simon Bolivar, South America, Andre Rigaud, Laurent Geffrard, Charles Riviere-Herard, Michel Domingue, Lysius Salomon, Pierre Theoma Boisrond-Canal, Francois C. Antoine Simon, John James Audubon, Andre Corvington, Auguste Davezac, Marie-Jeanne Cave, Gelee Beach, botanical garden, Pic Macaya, City

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