In the French West Indies, chlordecone (CLD), an organochlorine pesticide, was applied in banana plantationsfrom 1972 to 1993. Our study was aimed at identifying the factors that determine soil CLDcontamination and that thus can describe the spatial distribution of this contamination.For each of the 1045 plots analyzed for CLD, we collected spatial information on the physical environmentand agricultural activities. Then, we searched for determinants of soil contamination and used amultiple regression model to predict the spatial distribution of CLD.First, the results showed that the soil type had a strong impact. Andosols, with a high organic carboncontent (up to 100 g kg−1) and a high sorption capacity (Koc 20 000 L kg−1), had the highest CLD concentrationsand stocks. Nitisols had 10-fold lower sorption capacities. Second, the results showed a “farmeffect” on soil contamination, due to the more or less intensive application of inputs by farmers and tothe shorter or longer application times, depending on the banana land-use frequency. However, despitethese effects and given the weak accuracy of the usually available information on agricultural activities,it remained difficult to predict the spatial distribution of CLD contamination by a multiple regressionmodel.In conclusion, this study highlighted the multifactorial nature of pollution. The main perspectives arerelated to better assessments of agricultural activities using remote sensing strategies and designingagricultural practices observatories focusing on pesticide use.