how to get to martinique

Explore
Nestled between the sea and sun, Martinique is a
treasure-trove that is unique among the Caribbean
islands: an exceptional natural setting with running
water, mountains, gardens and forests. Thanks
to the island’s surface area of only 425 square
miles, everything is easily accessible. Discover the
diversity of Martinique’s landscapes, its cultural
heritage, its French touch, and the quality of its
modern infrastructure. It is a very safe island, where
ethical tourism is the norm. Martinique is a genuine
Caribbean jewel, come and discover everything it
has to offer...
FORT DE FRANCE, Capital City
Fort-de-France is the administrative center of
Martinique, there are many tourist and cultural
attractions: the bay is among the world’s most
breathtaking sights; the fruit, vegetable and spice
market; the fish market; the Savane; public gardens
where magnificent tropical species grow; Fort Saint
Louis - a classified monument; the Atrium cultural
center; the Saint-Louis cathedral built in 1895;
and the Schœlcher Library which was originally the
Canada pavilion at the 1898 World Expo in Paris. It
was built by Henri Pick, a contemporary of Gustave
Eiffel.
Other remarkable sites include the Pre-Columbian
archeology museum, the museum of History and
Ethnography, the city theater and many buildings of
colonial-style architectural interest.
Fort-de-France Tourism Office:
Phone 05 96 60 27 73 – Fax 05 96 60 27 95
info@tourismefdf.com – www.tourismefdf.com
SAINT-PIERRE, City of Art and History
Saint-Pierre was the capital of Martinique before its
destruction during the 1902 Mount Pelée eruption.
Today, the town is the sous-préfecture (district
capital) of the Caribbean North district and has been
officially recognized as a city of Art and History.
Attractions: the Earth Science Discovery Center
(Centre de Découverte des Sciences de la Terre),
the Saint-Pierre theater, the dungeon of the only
survivor of the eruption (Cyparis), the church at
the fort, the Depaz estate and distillery known as
“Habitation la Montagne”.
With its ruins and remains, Saint-Pierre is like an
open-air museum, it has been officially recognized
as the 101st city of Art and History. In 1933, the
musée Volcanologique (Volcano museum) was
the first museum to be established in Martinique,
thanks to the American volcanologist, Frank Perret.
31 km from Fort-de-France.
Tourism office:
Phone 05 96 78 34 05 – Fax 05 96 78 95 19
otsp@wanadoo.fr
The Botanical North: from Fort de
France to Le Prêcheur...
The “Route de la Trace” is a genuine botanical circuit
through the heart of the tropical forest. The route
winds its way up to Mount Pelée through stunning
landscapes dotted with rivers and waterfalls and is
lined with heliconia flowers and tree ferns.
The 1924 Balata church is a miniature replica of
the Montmartre Basilica with a beautiful panoramic
view of Fort-de-France and the bay.
Enjoy a stroll through the groves and flowerbeds of
the Balata gardens.
Take a break to cool down at the Alma river.
The picturesque Fonds Saint-Denis village, set in a
floral landscape across from Mount Pelée. The route
through the town of Morne Rouge takes you to the
“Aileron”, where climbers embark on expeditions
up Mount Pelée. From this location there is a
magnificent coast-to-coast view of Martinique.
Saint-Pierre, the “little Paris of the Antilles”, was
completely destroyed in the space of 3 minutes
when Mount Pelée erupted. In 1990, it was officially
recognized as a city of Art and History. You won’t
want to miss taking a stroll through the ruins and a
visit to the Frank Perret museum, established by the
volcanologist himself.
Stop at Le Prêcheur to see the Anse Céron beach
beneath the ruins of Habitation Céron. Le Prêcheur
is also the starting point of a 6-hour hike that will
take you to Grand-Rivière on the Atlantic coast, at
the northernmost point of the island.
34