The Pitons are two mountainous volcanic plugs, volcanic spires, located in Saint Lucia. Petit Piton is high and Gros Piton is high; they are linked by the Piton Mitan ridge. Piton means mountain peak in French, so Petit and Gros Piton respectively refer to the smaller and larger peak. The Pitons are a World Heritage Site, in size, and located near the town of Soufrière.
Geography
The Pitons are located between the towns of Soufrière and Choiseul on the southwestern coast of the island.
Flora and fauna
The dominant terrestrial vegetation is tropical moist forest grading to subtropical wet forest, with small areas of dry forest and wet elfin woodland on the summits. At least 148 plant species have been recorded on Gros Piton, 97 on Petit Piton and the intervening ridge, among them eight rare tree species.
Gros Piton is home to some 27 bird species (five of them endemic), three indigenous rodents, one opossum, three bats, eight reptiles, and three amphibians.
Geology
The volcanic complex includes a geothermal field with sulphurous fumaroles and hot springs.
In popular culture
Saint Lucia's local brand of beer made by the Windward & Leeward Brewery is named after the Pitons.
Both mountains are an attraction for hikers. The Gros Piton peak is more popular since it is an easier climb and tours are offered by The Soufrière Foundation, a non-profit group that is dedicated to helping preserve the Pitons Management Area.
According to the Arawaks, they see the Pitons as a family unit. The father figure is Gros Piton, the mother is Petit Piton, and the child is Petit-Petit Piton, a spur that juts from the flank of Petit Piton.
Gallery
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Gros Piton and Petit Piton in Saint Lucia.JPG|The Pitons, Soufrière, and the Caribbean Sea
File:View of Petit Piton from Gros Piton.JPG|Petit Piton from Gros Piton
Image:The Pitons at Soufriere Saint Lucia.jpg|Pitons from the northern viewpoint
Image:GrosPiton.JPG|Gros Piton seen from the Piton Mitan ridge
Image:PetitPiton.JPG|Petit Piton seen from the Piton Mitan ridge
Image:two pitons.jpg|Gros Piton (left) and Petit Piton seen from the north-east
File:The Pitons of St Lucia YORYM-TA0184.jpg|Pitons in 1903
File:Les Pitons de Ste. Alousie.jpg|St Lucia Pitons drawing from 17th - 18th century
Image:Petit piton panorama.jpg|Panorama View from the top of Gros Piton, looking north. Gives a view of the Petit Piton and northern St. Lucia.
File:St Lucia Pitons 2008.jpg|Pitons from the ocean
</gallery>
See also
- Geography of Saint Lucia
References
External links
- Pitons Management Area, UNESCO Collection on Google Arts and Culture