Vos vacances dans le sud

Martinique

The Caribbean Island with French Flair, The Isle of Flowers, The Rum Capital of the World – by any one of its many names Martinique remains one of the most alluring and enchanting destinations in the world; as unforgettable as a summer romance or a first kiss. Martinique is an overseas region of France, and in keeping with its traditions, this vibrant island stirs the passions with awe-inspiring natural beauty, a rich cultural history, distinctive culinary delights, warm smiles and so much more.

Napoleon’s bride, Empress Josephine, was born and raised here. 
The Pompeii of the Caribbean, St. Pierre, is found here. 
The finest French products, from Chanel fashions to Limoges porcelain, are readily available here. 
La Route des Rhums, a tour of the world’s finest rum distilleries based on France’s famed Route des Vins, is offered here.

Martinique Geography

Martinique lies in the heart of the Caribbean Archipelago and is one of the many islands which make up the group of Lesser Antilles, or "Breezy Islands".
The waters of the Atlantic Ocean lap its shores on the east and the Caribbean Sea is to the west. The island is located 4,261 miles from Paris (8 hours by plane) and approximately 275 miles from the northern coast of the South American continent. The closest two neighboring islands are Dominica (15.5 miles to the north) and Saint Lucia (23 miles to the south.)

Martinique is 1,965 miles from New York City, 1,470 miles from Miami, 2,270 miles from Montreal, and 425 miles from San Juan, Puerto Rico. The island has a surface area of 426 square miles and at its greatest length and width measures 50 miles by 22 miles, respectively. The land rises gradually from the coast toward the center and northern parts of the island. In the north we find the two peaks -- Carbet and Mont Pelée, a dormant volcano that is the highest mountain on the island at 4,586 ft. This part of Martinique also is a legendary tropical rainforest. In the center of the island, the Lamentin Plain, made up of small rounded hills and enclosed valleys, slopes down toward the south. Salines Beach at the southernmost tip of Martinique comes straight out of a beautiful postcard.

Martinique's Museums

Vividly Portray the Island's History and Heritage
The French West Indies island, Martinique, is proud of its museums.
There are more than a dozen of them, though they may not rival the great museums of Paris, each is distinctively different with intriguing stories to tell of the island's past, its way of life and art. Since they must vie with the lure of sun, sea and sand, the museums of Martinique are purposely small and easily toured -- planned so visitors can "do" them in a rather short time, yet depart satisfied and enriched

Le Lamentin

The airport, hippodrome horse racing course and industrial zones based in this town are three of the regional Department's main centers of activity. The fields of sugar cane stretch out across the Lamentin plain all the way to the horizon.

Ducos

Situated inland, Ducos is mainly an agricultural town with a booming small-trade and industrial area.

Rivière-Salée

The Rivière-Salée is a large plain that has been given over to growing sugar cane, although there is no rum distillery within the territory belonging to this district. On some houses, you can still see structures that date to the 19th century.

Trois-Ilets

You can get here by car of course, but also on a ferry from Fort-de-France. The Pagerie Museum is in this town, set up on the spot where Empress Josephine was born. A number of musical and cultural events are organized in the Park of the Trois-Ilets close to the island's magnificent golf club. You must not miss the Market or the Sugar Cane Museum. The pottery center, where the objects are handmade by local craft artists, is also worth a visit.

Les Anses d'Arlet

This is a small fishing village with a beautiful beach frequently sought out by vacationers.