Balembouche
Balembouche (also called Balenbouche) is the original name of a historic 18th century sugar plantation, Balenbouche Estate, which is now a guesthouse, heritage site and retreat center on the island of Saint Lucia It is located on the South West Coast of the island, near Bongalo and Piaye.
Balembouche | |
|---|---|
 Balenbouche Estate | |
  Balembouche Location in Saint Lucia | |
| Coordinates: 13°45′27″N 61°01′38″W | |
| Country | Saint Lucia |
| Quarter | Laborie |
The entire area where the original 500+ acre estate was historically located is sometimes still referred to as "Balembouche" by locals. However, this is incorrect, since those new developments are no longer part of the original Balembouche plantation.
Historically, there are multiple spellings of the name, all referring to the same sugar plantation established by the French under colonial rule. Some alternate spellings include Ballembouche, Balambouche, and Balenbouche.
The name first appears on St. Lucia maps in the late 1760s.
The exact origin of the name Balembouche or Balenbouche is not known. Possible translations include "mouth of the whale" from the French "Baleine" and "bouche" and also "bullet or ball in the mouth" from the French phrase "bal en bouche."