The view was, as the French say, “formidable.” From the lookout more than 800 feet above sea level, one can see about half of the populated area of the island of Désirade in the French West Indies. The town below, with its church steeple and government seat, and a string of beautiful beaches were laid out in miniature like a Christmas toy.

The island is inhabited only on one side, as the other is made up of sheer cliffs descending to white-foamed waves. Its two principle towns, Beauséjour (which means “beautiful stay”) and Baie Mahout, both boast minimal services for tourists — shops, restaurants and hotels — as well as post offices and local services. They and the tumble of houses that separate them, ranged along the island’s only road, made a smiling picture from the lookout.

To get there from Beauséjour, you follow a quite steep but entirely paved road, Chemin de la Croix (“the path of the cross”), encouraged by a series of 11 crosses that serve as milestones to your destination, a charming, tiny, pristine church, neatly painted blue and white, with the 12th cross above the door. Just past it is the lookout, with a helpful map glazed into a semicircular stone ledge, so you can identify every bay, building and beach. It was an absolutely delightful destination.

But there was more: My venerable guidebook urged me to continue along a rocky, uneven ridgeline in search of the “éoliennes,” the electricity-generating windmills that power the entire island. Installed in the early 1990s, after Hurricane Hugo wreaked havoc on much of the French West Indies, the windmills are a destination unto themselves. A half-hour of walking over uneven ground (I was glad of my boots) brought me to the feet of a group of six of them.  A helpful display explained how the electricity is generated, and I found them mesmerizing to watch, although the droning sound is reminiscent of a busy highway.

I had intended to return the way I had come, but boldly I decided to continue along the bush-lined road, quite cut off from views, searching for the descent into Baie Mahaut shown in my guidebook. Its map showed a loop around the entire plateau that tops this island, which is shaped like an upside-down boat, and I was worried about more walk than I had water for.

I spotted a turnoff, neatly lined on each side by a row of carefully placed rocks. I descended with a little trepidation, worried that the path might just end and leave me with a scramble back to the top.

The going became increasingly steep and difficult — obviously not intended for tourists — but the neat edging and occasional stair steps sculpted from the earth heartened me. In another hour, I thankfully reached the road. (Later I found the road I was supposed to have taken, paved and clearly marked.)

Désirade is at the beginning of its tourism career, and as such is my favorite of the island destinations one can visit during a stay on nearby Guadeloupe.

Less noisy and crowded than Les Saintes, and with more hiking adventures than Marie Galante, it is a great spot for a day trip and even better for an overnight. Boats ply the strait between Guadeloupe and Beauséjour daily, and the trip takes only 45 minutes and costs 22 Euros ($33 at the January 2008 exchange rate) round trip.

The place to stay if you’re spending the night and don’t want to rent a car is Oualiri, a relatively pleasant hotel just a brief walk from the port. For $80 Euros ($120) you get a tiny room right on the beach (also, unfortunately, with the road right behind you, so scooters buzz by frequently) and a free breakfast of juice, coffee/tea/hot chocolate, and French bread with packets of butter and current jelly (I was disappointed that there was no fruit or more exotic jams). My dinner that evening in the restaurant, however, was delicious and reasonably priced, and it is just a few steps from the door of your room to the sea.

Because so many people come just for the day, things close down after the boats depart at 4 p.m., but you can still get a drink overlooking the harbor, or bicycle out to the western tip to watch the sunset. My bike rental was a bit of an adventure — the woman cheerfully insisted on taking my passport until the bike’s return, then disappeared until right before the boat’s departure the next day. But the price was right: 10 Euros ($15) for 24 hours.

And a bike ride up the road to Baie Mahaut was the perfect way to spend my second day. The road was unexpectedly hilly, but my gears mostly worked, and at every turn I was confronted with amazing views of the Caribbean, by turns turquoise and tranquil or azure and foaming with surf. At Baie Mahaut, you can visit the light house, now fully automated, learn about the brief efforts of the French to grow and process cotton on the island, and see a former weather station on the windward-most spot of the French West Indies. aches, where on a Sunday large extended families had set up a long series of tables for a comfortable lunch al fresco. A number of restaurants in both towns also offered lunch with a view of the water.

The friendly people, lack of tourists and beautiful scenery and beaches made this island a magical spot to visit.

Happy Traveling!

Captions: 1. The view from the chapel lookout is spectacular. 2. The electricity-generating turbines are mesmerizing to watch. 3. A steep path led me back down to civilization. 4. Oualiri’s restaurant serves delicious French cuisine right on the water. 5. The lighthouse in Baie Mahaut is a popular tourist destination. (Photos by Thomas Simonet.)