Official Name: Department of Martinique Capital: Fort-de-France Flag: Population: 402,000 Language: French, Creole Patois Currency: Euro (EUR) Government Website: www.cr-martinique.fr Chamber of Commerce: www.martinique.cci.fr Emergency Info:

At first glance, you might think you’ve landed at the wrong destination. Martinique, though lying in the Caribbean Sea, appears more like a mini France. But upon further inspection, you’ll find that amid the French clothing fashions, and high noon tea, West Indean Creole culture remains the foundation of Martinique. The music, dance, and trades of Martiniquans are still distinctly West Indian though many trends and tastes on the island are clearly French.

The geography of the island rises from the coast to form two peaks: Carbet and Mont Pelée. The dormant volcano is the highest point on the island, rising 4,586 ft. The rainforest surrounding this area is world class and has excellent trails for hiking and excellent for spotting exotic animals and vegetation.

The capital of Martinique, Fort-de-France a holds many worthwhile attractions and a plethora of architectural charms, including the Bibliothèque Schoelcher. This magnificent display of Roman Byzantine architecture was originally built over 100 years ago for the 1889 Paris Exposition. It was later disassembled and shipped to Martinique where it was rebuilt. The building sits next to La Savane, the city’s large central park which is filled with lush grass and towering trees. The park is a great place to take advantage of one of the many benches among picturesque gardens for an afternoon read or a picnic. It does have it’s busy times, during Carnival it becomes the center of energy on the island.

Saint-Pierre, the former capital of Martinique is an inspiring story of rebuild. Once referred to as the “Little Paris of the West Indies” the previously sophisticated modern city was destroyed in 1902 by a devastating volcanic eruption. Although the city was largely demolished, the determined residents of Martinique quickly began rebuilding. Today the city is flourishing with French and West Indian charm, even a bit of the city’s bumpy history remains in the ruins of the old theatre. Visitors can also look at fascinating artifacts from the eruption at the Musée Vulcanologique.

The Musée de la Pagerie is a former sugar estate and the birthplace of the future empress of Napoleon, Empress Josephine. The beautiful stone buildings of the estate hold impressive one of a kind family artifacts. There is also a statue of Empress Josephine on the north side of the central park of Fort-de-France, La Savane, where a surprising statue of the Empress stands. The statue has been beheaded and drenched in red paint, and interestingly no real rescue of the statue has been attempted. Many locals feel that Empress Josephine was responsible persuading Napoleon to continue slavery in the West Indies because she didn’t want her family’s plantation to suffer.

Often referred to as the “Isle of Flowers,” Martinique has some of the most exceptional Caribbean gardens. Located on the north end of the island, is Les Ombrages, a botanical path which highlights a remarkable variety of plants, perfect for practicing species identification. It is located at the sight of a former Rum distillery. Also in the north is MacIntosh Plantation which too has a stunning variety of Caribbean flowers. North of Fort-de-France is arguably Martinique’s most gorgeous garden, Jardin de Balata. The garden showcases over one thousand species of plants and tremendous views.

The beaches in Martinique are nothing less than picture perfect. To experience the islands finest stretch of sand, visit Les Salines. Because of it’s location on the southern tip of the islands, Les Salines has the advantage of being regularly sunny even when other parts of the island are cloudy. The beach is understandably popular, especially on weekends, but it’s large and accommodates crowds with ease.

For a unique activity and a homemade souvenir in one, a basket-weaving workshop or pottery class rank high on the list of visitors popular things to do. Both activities are a valued part of the heritage of the Caribbean Indians, and participants can learn about the historical significance while experiencing the art form.

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