Martinique's storied history involves familiar characters: Christopher Columbus, Louis XIII, slaves, British vs. French trade battles, Napoleon, rum and volcanoes. All of these ingredients make twentieth century Martinique a diverse island in the French Antilles (French West Indies).
Martinique is not on many 5-7-day Caribbean cruise itineraries (due to it's southern location), but longer cruises will likely include a stop in Martinique's capital city, Fort-de-France. Such was the case on my recent Southern Caribbean cruise on Holland America Line. Admittedly, I did the least amount of research on Martinique before visiting there. From what I could tell online it was a city with nothing more than a covered market and an old church. Within an hour of walking the streets of Martinique I realized how mistaken I was.
Fort-de-France reminded me so much of Montmartre (with palm trees). It was a very developed city, bustling with well-dressed locals on their way to work or lunch. The streets were lined with stores selling popular French brands I recognized, fabrics, art, and more. And the architecture was uniquely French and Creole.
The spoken and written language on the island is French, but I found that most people spoke at least enough English to complete a transaction. The euro and credit cards were accepted everywhere I visited. US dollars were accepted, but vendors did round up to account for the exchange rate differences and inconvenience.
You can best explore Fort-de-France by foot. Upon existing the cruise pier, you'll find local sellers lined in tents along the water. Try your best to resist shopping here - there are so many shopping opportunities inside the city. If you keep walking along the waterway you'll find Fort Saint Louis, the iconic fort protecting the city from pirates and invaders. If you're lucky, you may spot a few iguanas sunbathing on the small beach at the foot of the fort.
Beside the fort is a large park - the perfect place for a picnic or a shady rest. Rue de la liberté runs along the western border of the park. A quick walk up that road will take you to the Bibliothèque Schœlcher, a beautifully designed library that architecture enthusiasts will appreciate. Keep walking to see the Prefecture of Martinique's residence, too.
Turn down Rue Victor Sévère, which will take you directly to Théâtre Aimé Césaire and the local indoor shopping mall. From there, take a few smaller streets lined with local shops and vendors to get to to the iconic covered market. Here you can buy produce, spices, jewelry, hand-crafted items (like the beautiful woven tote bag I purchased!) and batiks.
Like the covered market, no trip to Fort-de-France is complete without a trip to Saint Louis Cathedral. The cathedral is a Romanesque revival, dedicated in 1895 with a 187-ft. steeple you can spot from most vantage points throughout the city. On a warm day, the cathedral makes for a shady, cool respite.
Have a more than a few hours to explore Martinique? Consider visiting the childhood home of Empress Joséphine, Napolean's first wife. Or do a distillery tour at Clement Rhum. If exploring is more your thing, check out the ruins at Saint-Pierre, the original capital city of Martinique that was destroyed in 1902 when Mount Pelée erupted.
Planning your trip to Martinique or the Caribbean? Check out the Caribbean Been Places page for tips and inspiration.
AB
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