Pétion-Ville was founded in 1831 to the southeast of Port-au-Prince. With the expansion of the capital, it has become one of its suburbs. Pétion-Ville was named after former president Alexandre Sabès Pétion

Pétion-Ville is a completely different world from the rest of the capital. There are countless glitzy shops, clubs and restaurants, where the country's elite come to spend their weekends and it has the feel of a Caribbean party resort. But on the outskirts are large expanses of shantytowns.

Because of its altitude, Pétion-Ville is generally cooler than the rest of Port-au-Prince.

Pétion-Ville is a good place to spend a few days, if you want to get away from the heat and poverty of Port-au-Prince. There are numerous hotels in town. Many restaurants in Pétion-Ville serve some of the best French cuisine in Haiti. Pétion-Ville is connected with Port-au-Prince by three throughways. In 2010, an earthquake caused widespread damage.

Pétion-Ville ©Reynaldo Mirault