Martinique

Why Martinique is special
The volcanic island of Martinique is one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean.

Highlights
Top 4 Martinique attractions
See map below for locations.

• Mount Pelee
  This tall volcano erupted in 1902, killing 30,000 people and destroying the then capital city of St-Pierre. Today, Mount Pelee is dormant and laced with hiking trails.
• St-Pierre ruins
  The town was partially destroyed by the 1902 Mount Pelee eruption. Tours take you through the ruins.
• Fort-de-France
  It became the capital after St-Pierre was annihilated. This port city has a well-developed tourism infrastructure, with shops, restaurants, and accommodations.
• Small villages
  The top two villages with well-developed tourism infrastructures (resorts, restaurants, tours) are Trois-Ilets and St-Anne. The first is a short ferry ride across the bay from Fort-de-France and has a casino. The second is conveniently near the island's most celebrated beach, Les Salines.

Snobbery
Martinique's black eye
Unfortunately, some Martinique citizens create the impression that they are disdainful of visitors who do not speak French. This negatively affects the island's tourism revenues from non-French speaking countries.

More Martinique tips & insights
Empress Josephine
Napoleon's first wife, Empress Josephine, was born in Martinique (though the neighboring island St Lucia claims Josephine was born on its island).

Culture
Martinique is an overseas department of France and is devoted to the latter's style in dress and cuisine.

Flowers
Martinique is renowned for its flowers. Its "Isle of Flowers" nickname was even used by pre-Columbian Indians. You'll see blooming hibiscus, bougainvillea, and other flowering trees nearly everywhere.

Martinique's interior
The mountains of the volcanic Martinique island are picturesquely rugged and blanketed with rainforests.

Language
French and Creole are widely spoken, English isn't.

Island statistics
Martinique is 81 kilometers (50 miles) in length and 34 kilometers (22 miles) at its widest point. It has about 400,000 residents and roughly the same number of tourists (most come from France).

Location Map