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As soon as you arrive in the port of Fort-de-France, it becomes obvious that many of the charms of France have been transplanted to this scenic tropical isle. The island’s principal city is a bustling commercial center complete with French taxis and sidewalk cafés. Its narrow balconied streets are lined with boutiques and pastry shops, resembling the neighborhood streets of Paris. Your first stop here could be the Martinique Tourist Office, located on Boulevard Alfassa, which borders the waterfront.

Set in the heart of Fort-de-France is the Place de la Savane. The broad, landscaped park is a central meeting place for tourists and local folk alike. One of Fort-de-France’s most interesting attractions is the Romanesque-Byzantine Schoelcher Library, originally designed and built for the Paris Exposition of 1889 and named for Victor Schoelcher, who was instrumental in abolishing slavery in 1848. The building was dismantled after the exposition, shipped to Martinique in 1893 and promptly reconstructed.

You should also be sure to visit the Musée Départemental de la Martinique, opposite Place de la Savane, which has more than 2,000 artifacts from the cultures of the island’s pre-Columbian inhabitants. In recent times, the city’s imposing Saint-Louis Cathedral was faithfully rebuilt on the site of its six predecessors according to its original plans, created in 1895 by French architect Henri Picq. Its metal framework and impressive spire are much admired by architectural buffs.

The Route de la Trace leads north from Fort-de-France and through the Pitons du Carbet. The road provides plenty of wonderful vistas and a close-up look at the island’s luxuriant tropical foliage. Nestled below the mountains is the Sacré-Coeur de Balata, a small re-creation of the Basilique du Sacré-Coeur atop Montmartre in Paris. Nearby is a horticultural must-see, Le Jardin de Balata, home to a magnificent collection of greenery and flowers. On the northwest side of the island can be found the dormant volcano Mont Pelée. Cooler temperatures make hiking to the top an invigorating experience; however, it is also an arduous climb, best done with professional guides.

Below Mont Pelée is the peaceful town of Saint-Pierre. On May 8, 1902, the “Little Paris of the West Indies” was quickly destroyed when the volcano erupted and spewed poisonous gas, ashes and boulders on the town, killing all 30,000 inhabitants except for one—a prisoner named Cyparis. The town has been rebuilt, but ruins from the devastating eruption and a well-designed museum commemorating the tragedy remind residents and visitors of nature’s powerful force.

On the northwest coast is Le Carbet, where Columbus landed in 1502, on his fourth trip to the Americas. Located here is the new Vallée des Papillons (Valley of Butterflies), a dazzling display of more than 1,500 butterflies set amid the ruins of one of the oldest settlements on Martinique. Nearby is Anse Turin, where Paul Gauguin painted during his visit to the island. Although Gauguin’s stay on Martinique was short, lasting but a few months in 1887, he is considered the island’s most famous resident. A museum here displays memorabilia and reproductions of his Martinique works.

In the village of Grand-Rivière, on the northeast coast of the island, row upon row of vividly colored boats line the harbor, and the sand is shiny black. Located inland, in the pretty town of Morne Rouge, is the MacIntosh Planation, a renowned cultivator of Martinique’s best-known flower, the anthurium. History is interwoven with natural beauty in excursions along the island’s southern coast. Trois-Ilets is a pretty village where Empress Joséphine, Napoleon’s wife, was christened, and the neighboring La Pagerie, now a lovely museum, is the site of the empress’ childhood home.

Several quaint fishing villages, where colorful boats dock and nets are dried under coconut palms, line the route to Diamant. This town was named after a Gibraltar-like rock, located 1,600 feet offshore and known historically as the H.M.S. Diamond Rock, or Le Rocher du Diamant. The rugged coastline just below the cliff is an awesome sight.

Beaches:
Martinique has several palm-fringed beaches; the most popular are located south of Fort-de-France, between Trois-Ilets and Les Salines. Sainte-Anne is a pretty strand located close to a charming village; the sun always seems to shine on this long stretch of golden sand. On a sunny afternoon, Les Salines, situated at the extreme southern end of the island, appears to be the meeting place for all the island’s sun worshipers. The uncrowded Diamant Beach offers a glorious view of Le Rocher du Diamant. Other southern beaches include Anse Figuier, Anse d’Arlets and Petite Anse du Diamant.

There are several volcanic black-sand beaches north of Fort-de-France along the Caribbean coast. The tourists’ favorite is at Anse Turin, where Gauguin painted during his visit to the island. From the beach you’ll see a beautiful cove with Mont Pelée in the background. Also in the area is Anse Ceron, a small bay with a perfect gem of a beach.

Activities:
Boating is a favorite pastime on the island of Martinique. Sailing yachts, catamarans and small motorized launches ply the clear waters and beautiful bays. For deep-sea fishermen, there are plenty of tuna, barracuda, dolphin, kingfish and bonito for the catching. Other outdoor options include scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, windsurfing, tennis and golf. Scuba divers will particularly enjoy exploring the sunken wrecks and colorful coral reefs that lie between Saint-Pierre and Le Prêcheur. Snorkelers usually head for the east coast and the reefs off Le Robert, just south of Presqu’île de la Caravelle.

Golfers, meanwhile, will revel in the 18-hole Robert Trent Jones course at Golf de L’Impératrice Joséphine. Located at Trois-Ilets, the club also offers an English-speaking pro, a pro shop, a bar and restaurant. Hiking is also a very popular sport on Martinique. Well-marked trails crisscross the island, leading hikers through scenic landscapes and along the rugged shore.

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