Fort-de-France
Martinique · 5 m
Description
Fort-de-France is the capital of Martinique and the island's arrival point, wrapped around a deep bay with the Pitons du Carbet rising green behind it. The Bibliothèque Schoelcher was built for the Paris exposition of 1889 in cast iron and coloured tile, then shipped over and reassembled here. Fort Saint-Louis still guards the harbour from a rocky spur and is toured by the navy that occupies it. Market halls sell madras cloth, spices and shrubb, and Saint-Louis cathedral carries an iron spire built to survive earthquakes. Ferries cross the bay to the resort beaches in twenty minutes.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 2 to 4 days (optimal 3 days)
Travel season
Best time to visit: December – April
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Bibliothèque Schoelcher
- Grand Marché covered market
- Jardin de Balata(Day trip)
- Fort Saint-Louis
- Cathédrale Saint-Louis
- Église du Sacré-Coeur de Balata(Day trip)
- La Savane park and the Joséphine statue
- Ferry across the bay to Pointe du Bout
- Musée Départemental d'Archéologie
- Rue Victor Hugo shopping streets
- Accras, boudin créole and ti-punch in the town bars
- Route de la Trace through the rainforest(Day trip)
- Distillerie Depaz and the rum trail(Day trip)
- Carnival in the streets (approx. February)
Getting there
- Airports:
- FDF
- Seaport:
- Reachable by ship or ferry