TOWNS & REGIONS - THE NORTH
This region of Martinique offers you a very different vision of Martinique to the South. In the north you will find lush rainforests, mountains, impressive coastlines and of course the famous Mount Pelée volcano. The villages are somewhat different as well. This is the old Martinique, which gives you a real feeling of what life is really like in Martinique. Please also visit our pages on hiking, scenic drives and Martinique rum.
Sainte-Marie
At Ste Marie, there is the Rum Museum founded by the Saint James Distillery. You will also find a Monastery, the Fond Saint Jacques cultural centre, and at Morne-des-Esses, a wickerwork factory where the traditional Caribbean working techniques are still in use. Another popular attraction to visit in the area of Ste Marie is the Musée de la Banane.
Basse-Pointe
Huge fields of banana and pineapple trees line the road that leads to this town, which is situated on the Atlantic coast. It is worth making a small detour to visit the Leyritz Plantation which is a colonial home built in 1700 and renovated in 1970. Also situated on the site is the Dolls Museum created by the talented local resident artist Will Fenton. There are over 50 different dolls which were made out of 100's of different types of leaves and plant materials. The museums are open between 10am and 5pm and cost €2,50 for adults and €1 for children. Admission for under 12's is free.
Grand-Rivière
This is one of the most picturesque places in Martinique. It is a small fishing village that has often been completely cut off from the rest of the island after heavy rains. You can sometimes see children challenging the waves of the Atlantic on surfboards called "floats" which are made from tree trunks.
When you get to the end of the road by the beach, there is a café on the left which sells excellent homemade sorbets and juices which is certainly well appreciated after a long winding drive.
One of the best ways to explore the real north of Martinique is to take the 6 hour, 20km walk from Grande-Rivière to Anse Couleuvre near Le Précheur. It's a long strenuous walk, but the scenery on offer is second to none. To return back to Grande-Rivière you will need to organise a boat with the tourist office in Grande-Rivière.
above: Grande-Rivière above: Grande-Rivière to Le Precheur coast
Saint-Pierre
The former capital of Martinique was once a lively town of 30,000 people until on May 8, 1902 when two roaring explosions echoed around the island. Montagne Pelée unleashed its force and instantly wiped out everything in its path including Saint-Pierre. Today Saint-Pierre has rebuilt itself with a beautiful seafront promenade which is home to many sidewalk cafes. Situated on its naturally delightful harbour, the town is well known for excellent clear waters which are used for many diving excursions, especially exploring the ship wrecks and underwater gardens. The Depaz rum distillery and the ruins of Martinique's first church (built in 1640) are the highlights in Saint-Pierre. You may also wish to visit the Earth & Science Centre (Centre de Découvertes des Sciences de la Terre - www.cdst.org which takes you back in time to that dreadful day in 1902. Unfortunately all illustrations for the Earth & Science Museum are in French.
above: Saint-Pierre & Montagne Pelée
This region of Martinique offers you a very different vision of Martinique to the South. In the north you will find lush rainforests, mountains, impressive coastlines and of course the famous Mount Pelée volcano. The villages are somewhat different as well. This is the old Martinique, which gives you a real feeling of what life is really like in Martinique. Please also visit our pages on hiking, scenic drives and Martinique rum.
Sainte-Marie
At Ste Marie, there is the Rum Museum founded by the Saint James Distillery. You will also find a Monastery, the Fond Saint Jacques cultural centre, and at Morne-des-Esses, a wickerwork factory where the traditional Caribbean working techniques are still in use. Another popular attraction to visit in the area of Ste Marie is the Musée de la Banane.
Basse-Pointe
Huge fields of banana and pineapple trees line the road that leads to this town, which is situated on the Atlantic coast. It is worth making a small detour to visit the Leyritz Plantation which is a colonial home built in 1700 and renovated in 1970. Also situated on the site is the Dolls Museum created by the talented local resident artist Will Fenton. There are over 50 different dolls which were made out of 100's of different types of leaves and plant materials. The museums are open between 10am and 5pm and cost €2,50 for adults and €1 for children. Admission for under 12's is free.
Grand-Rivière
This is one of the most picturesque places in Martinique. It is a small fishing village that has often been completely cut off from the rest of the island after heavy rains. You can sometimes see children challenging the waves of the Atlantic on surfboards called "floats" which are made from tree trunks.
When you get to the end of the road by the beach, there is a café on the left which sells excellent homemade sorbets and juices which is certainly well appreciated after a long winding drive.
One of the best ways to explore the real north of Martinique is to take the 6 hour, 20km walk from Grande-Rivière to Anse Couleuvre near Le Précheur. It's a long strenuous walk, but the scenery on offer is second to none. To return back to Grande-Rivière you will need to organise a boat with the tourist office in Grande-Rivière.
above: Grande-Rivière above: Grande-Rivière to Le Precheur coast
Saint-Pierre
The former capital of Martinique was once a lively town of 30,000 people until on May 8, 1902 when two roaring explosions echoed around the island. Montagne Pelée unleashed its force and instantly wiped out everything in its path including Saint-Pierre. Today Saint-Pierre has rebuilt itself with a beautiful seafront promenade which is home to many sidewalk cafes. Situated on its naturally delightful harbour, the town is well known for excellent clear waters which are used for many diving excursions, especially exploring the ship wrecks and underwater gardens. The Depaz rum distillery and the ruins of Martinique's first church (built in 1640) are the highlights in Saint-Pierre. You may also wish to visit the Earth & Science Centre (Centre de Découvertes des Sciences de la Terre - www.cdst.org which takes you back in time to that dreadful day in 1902. Unfortunately all illustrations for the Earth & Science Museum are in French.
above: Saint-Pierre & Montagne Pelée
