UVF Airport to C'est la Vie Private Transfer

C'est la Vie is in the north of St Lucia, roughly 75 km from Hewanorra International Airport (UVF). The drive takes 80 to 95 minutes. The fare is $132 for the whole vehicle rather than per person, covering up to three passengers. Families of up to 5 (up to 3 adults and 2 children) add $25 per extra person, while groups of 4 or more adults, 3 or more children, or 6 or more people are charged our group rate, shown when you choose your passengers.

Your driver meets you inside the arrivals hall with a sign showing your name, takes the luggage and has you on the road minutes after customs. The rate is fixed when you book.

Nothing is charged online and there is no deposit.

The drive from Hewanorra to the north

The route runs up the Atlantic side of the island. From Vieux Fort the Micoud Highway passes through Micoud and Dennery, climbs into rainforest at Barre de l'Isle, the ridge that splits St Lucia, then drops through the Cul de Sac valley into Castries. From there the coastal highway continues north past Choc Bay and Bois d'Orange.

Castries is where time is lost on weekdays, 7am to 9am inbound and 4pm to 6pm outbound, and Rodney Bay slows in the early evening.

Send us the property name and a contact number for your arrival, since the lanes up here are residential and often unnamed.

Why everything here has a French name

You will notice it on the drive. Vieux Fort, Anse La Raye, Gros Islet, Choiseul, Soufriere, Canaries. The road signs read like France and the conversation is in English, which confuses most first time visitors.

The reason is that Britain and France fought over this island for well over a century, and it changed hands fourteen times before finally staying British in 1814. That tug of war earned it the nickname Helen of the West Indies, after Helen of Troy. The French named the places, the British kept the names, and independence in 1979 kept them too.

A few worth knowing before you ask a driver for directions. Anse simply means cove, which is why so many beaches start with it. Soufriere refers to the sulphur at the volcano and is said roughly soo-free-air. Vieux Fort is the old fort at the southern tip, near your arrival airport. Gros Islet is the big islet, named for Pigeon Island offshore.

You will also hear Kwéyòl, the French based Creole spoken alongside English, particularly in the villages and at the markets.

Around C'est la Vie

Rodney Bay is the hub, with Reduit Beach, the restaurant strip, Baywalk Mall, supermarkets and pharmacies, ten to fifteen minutes away. Pigeon Island National Landmark, with the fort ruins and two calm beaches, is a short drive, and Gros Islet holds its street party on Friday nights.

Castries and the cruise terminals are around twenty five minutes south. Soufriere and the Pitons are 90 minutes to two hours away, so plan a full day with a driver, or see them from the water on a boat trip out of the marina.

What is included in your transfer

• Private air-conditioned vehicle for your party only
• Licensed local driver who knows the highway and the northern lanes
• Meet and greet inside arrivals with a name sign and luggage help
• Flight tracking on the day you travel
• Complimentary bottled water
• All taxes and fees
• Child seats free on request, give us the ages when you book

Not included: an optional gratuity for your driver.

How booking works

1. Pick this transfer, choose the pay-in-cash option, register and submit your details. The flight number field is optional at this stage.
2. You get a confirmation email straight away letting you know we have received the booking.
3. Someone goes through your details and confirms the booking, usually in under 30 minutes, and you get a confirmation email.
4. We assign your driver and ask for the flight number about 24 hours before travel if we do not have it. He meets you at arrivals with your name on a sign, takes the bags and drives you north, where the fare is paid in cash on arrival.

Frequently asked questions

I am flying into SLU George Charles Airport. Can you collect me?

Yes. SLU sits just outside Castries, and the fare from there is $40 for the whole vehicle, covering up to three passengers. Families of up to 5 (up to 3 adults and 2 children) add $25 per extra person, while groups of 4 or more adults, 3 or more children, or 6 or more people are charged our group rate, shown when you choose your passengers. Select SLU under "Your airport" to see the price and book. Your driver tracks your flight and waits for you, with the same fixed price on the return trip.

Why are the place names French if everyone speaks English?

Because Britain and France swapped the island fourteen times before 1814. The French named the places and the British kept the names.

What does Anse mean?

Cove. Anse La Raye, Anse Chastanet, Anse Cochon and the rest are all bays, which is handy to know when reading a map.

Is Helen of the West Indies a real nickname?

Yes, and it comes from that same history, the island being fought over the way Helen of Troy was.

How far is Rodney Bay from here?

Ten to fifteen minutes by road for the beach, restaurants and shops. Not walkable from most properties in the north.

What if my flight is delayed?

We track it and update your driver, who waits. No extra charge and the booking stands.

How do I pay?

Cash to the driver once you arrive. Nothing is taken online and there is no deposit.

Book your UVF to C'est la Vie transfer now and we will confirm it by email once someone has checked your details.