Any Travels

Martinique is truly "A little bit of France in the Caribbean." It exudes a distinctly French feeling -- In the excellence of it's cuisine, the beauty of its language. Yet Martinique has a cachet all its own, an endearing west indian warmth in its personality, a special spice in its music and dance, its local dishes, and its way of life. It is an island with style.

Martinique is about 1100 km?, its largest side is 40km and its longest side is 80 km ! The island is very different whether you are in the north or in the south of the island.

The North - with the vulcano "Mont Pelee" (1397 meters high), the "pitons du Carbet" (1196 meters high) and the "Morne Jacob" (784 meters high), the North is the most rocky part of the island. It often rains and everything is always green. All the beaches are black sand beaches.

The south - no more mountains, except the Vauclin moutain (500 meters high), but many beaches (Sainte-Anne, Macre Cape, Chevalier Cape, the Salines...) and a lot of sun : just what tourits are looking for ! They usually are on the eastern side. There are many places where you can go fishing. All the beaches are white sand beaches

The center - this is where planes are landing and taking off : Lamentin international airport

There are two main seasons in Martinique :
- careme : it's the dry season. Globally from February to August.
- hivernage : it's the rainy season. Globally from September to January.

The island of Martinique is one of the most exotic in the Caribbean. This is the birthpance of Josephine - Napoleon's mistress. The countryside is fascinating as it runs from lush tropical forest to dry desert and petrified wood. The Mont Pelee volcano looms over the island. The people of the island are truly French and with its blend of creole, Martinique is a very delightful and fascinating place to vacation.

Fort-de-France - The city became the capital in 1902 when the former capital of St-Pierre was obliterated (there was one survivor who was a local drunk who had been placed in jail for the night) by the eruption of Mont Pelee. Today's Fort-de-France is a bustling city with fashionable shops and restaurants and a French atmosphere that is irresistible. Imposing Fort St-Louis still is a military base and is frequently open for exhibitions. Visitors are frequently surprised by its low ceilings. The magnificent baroque library Bibliotheque Schoelcher is on the Rue Victor Severe. For relics of the Arawak and Carib Indians visit the Musee d'Archeologie et de Prehistoire. The baroque architecture of the Cathedral of St. Louis is captivating and the view of the skyline is excellent.

Other island points of interest - In the village of Le Carbet is a small Gauguin Museum. In the old capital of St. Pierre is the Museum of Vulcanology. The St. James Distillery is a rum museum. In the southern part of the island is the La Maison de la Canne - the Sugar Cane Museum. In the area is the Anse Mitan which is a cute little village with small restaurants. From here yo can take a ferry to the western area of the island and go to the Musse des Coquillages - the seashell museum in which local scenes are depicted using shells. Further on are two magnificent beaches one at Great Anse which is seldom crowded except weekends and the idyllic Pointe du Diamant beach where the famous Rocher du Diamant (Diamond Rock) is just off shore. Be wary of going out so far that you get caught in the currents. A short distance away is the town of Riviere-Pilote which is the largest town in the area and has the Mauny Rum Distillery where guided tours are offered.

Culture

Despite the ubiquitous French influence on Martinican culture, French-Indian Creole traditions dominate the island's cuisine, language, music and customs. Although French is the official language, most Martinicans also speak Creole, which grew out of the pidgin that early setters used to communicate with each other, and which also bears the traces of the many tongues spoken by African slaves.

The biguine (or beguine), an Afro-French dance music with a bolero rhythm, originated in Martinique in the 1930s. A more contemporary French West Indies creation, zouk, draws on the biguine and other French Caribbean folk forms. With its Carnival-like rhythm and hot dance beat, zouk has become as popular in Europe as it is in the French Caribbean.

A literary and philosophical movement known as Negritude emerged in the 1930s, largely through the writings of Martinican native Aime Cesaire, a poet and long-time mayor of Fort-de-France. Negritude strived to advance black social and cultural values and re-establish bonds with African traditions that had been suppressed by French colonialism.

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