{{Short description|Two mountainous volcanic plugs in Saint Lucia}} {{Infobox protected area | name = Pitons | image = Pitons-aerial.jpg | image_caption = Aerial view of the Pitons and the Caribbean Sea. Petit Piton depicted on the left; Gros Piton on the right. | location = Soufrière District, Saint Lucia | nearest_city = Soufrière and Choiseul | coordinates = {{coord|13|48|36|N|61|3|56|W|region:LC_scale:50000|format=dms|display=inline,title}} | map = Saint Lucia | map_caption = Location in Saint Lucia | module = {{designation list | embed=yes | designation1 = WHS | designation1_date = 2004 <small>(28th session)</small> | designation1_type = Natural | designation1_criteria = vii, viii | designation1_number = [https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1161 1161] | designation1_free1name = Region | designation1_free1value = Latin America and the Caribbean }} | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | governing_body = }} The '''Pitons''' are two mountainous volcanic plugs, volcanic spires, located in Saint Lucia. '''Petit Piton''' is {{convert|743|m|abbr=on}} high and '''Gros Piton''' is {{convert|798.25|m|abbr=on}} 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, {{convert|2909|ha|abbr=on}} in size, and located near the town of Soufrière.<ref name="Heritage">{{cite web |title=World Heritage List - Pitons Management Area |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1161 |access-date=August 15, 2021}}</ref>
==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.<ref name="Heritage" /> The site has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International.<ref name="bli">{{cite web |url= https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/pitons-(qualibou-and-canaries)-iba-st-lucia |title= Pitons (Qualibou and Canaries) |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2024|website= BirdLife Data Zone|publisher= BirdLife International|access-date= 2024-09-12}}</ref>
==Geology== The volcanic complex includes a geothermal field with sulphurous fumaroles and hot springs.<ref name="Heritage" />
==Gros Piton== Gros Piton is at the southern end of Pitons Bay. It is the second-highest peak on Saint Lucia, after Mount Gimie.<ref name="Heritage" />
Gros Piton can be climbed without ropes or mountaineering experience. One can hike to the summit and come back down to sea level within several hours. Local guides are provided by the National Park and are included with your entry fee. They are trained by the government to have basic knowledge of the languages common among tourists and of the medical procedures required in case of common accidents.<ref name="Heritage" />
==Petit Piton== Petit Piton lies towards the middle of Soufrière Bay, south of Soufrière and north of Gros Piton.<ref name="Heritage" />
Petit Piton was first climbed in 1878 by Abdome Deligny. The islands of Dominica, Martinique, Barbados, and St. Vincent can be seen from its peak.<ref name="Devaux">{{cite book|last1=Devaux|first1=Robert|title=Saint Lucia Historic Sites|date=1975|publisher=Saint Lucia National Trust|pages=101}}</ref>
==In popular culture== Saint Lucia's local brand of beer made by the Windward & Leeward Brewery is named after the Pitons.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://pitonbeerstlucia.com/home.asp |title=Piton Beers|access-date=2014-02-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403085656/http://pitonbeerstlucia.com/home.asp |archive-date=2016-04-03 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
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.{{CN|date=May 2026}}
== 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== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://artsandculture.google.com/story/mwWBiDNiQF3V1g Pitons Management Area], UNESCO Collection on Google Arts and Culture
{{Saint Lucia topics}} {{authority control}}
Category:Volcanoes of Saint Lucia Category:Volcanic plugs of North America Category:Mountains of Saint Lucia Category:Important Bird Areas of Saint Lucia Category:World Heritage Sites in Saint Lucia