For centuries, St. Lucia was the most important island in the West Indies. Seven times it was held by the English, and seven times by the French. In 1782, from St. Lucia Admiral Rodney watched the powerful French fleet at anchor only a few miles away, and it was from St. Lucia that the British followed the French and the famous "Battle of the Saints Passage" took place off Dominica's coast.
St. Lucia's Franco-English background adds flavour to its natural beauty. This is vacation-land with the Feast of St. Lucia in December and the Carnival only two of the many celebrations here every year. Castries, the capital, is situated on the edge of what was once the crater of a volcano. The city received its name from Marshal de Castries, the French Minister of the colonies in 1785. It is still a distinctly French city in spite of its long occupation by the British.
RBC Royal Bank of Canada first opened a branch in Castries, St. Lucia on November 1, 1920. The branch was closed in 1932 and re-opened in 1960.
