Belle-Anse

Belle-Anse (Haitian Creole: Bèlans) is a commune in the Belle-Anse Arrondissement, in the Sud-Est Department of Haiti. It has 51,707 inhabitants.

History

The town's previous name was Saltrou, a name that is still commonly used by some old timers. The name Saltrou was changed during the 60's through the efforts of a well-known Deputy (congressman) named Hugo Paul. He served during the early years of the presidency of Dr. François Duvalier. He died in office, and the circumstances of his death are still questionable. According to most, he died of a stroke. One cannot speak of the new name Belle-Anse without referring to Hugo Paul. The inspiration came to Mr. Paul when coming down the hill of Tapion. The panoramic view thrilled him and he called it, Belle-Anse. (Mr. Paul was a graduate of l'Université de Paris-Sorbonne.) Though many claim that Belle-Anse is a new town, this is far from the truth. There is at leat one house that goes back to colonial time, if not destroyed by hurricanes or the recent earthquake of January 2010.