Travel Information
Tourist Information
Tourist Offices Overseas Belgium Service Official Français du Tourisme 21 Avenue de la Toison d’Or, 1060 Brussels T25130762, F25143375 Canada French Government Tourist Office 1981 Avenue MacGill College, Suite 490, Montréal, Quebec, H 3A 2W9 T514-2884264, F8448901 30 St Patrick Street, Suite 700, Toronto T416-5934723, F9797587 Office du Tourisme de la...Advertisement
Before Travelling
Documents The regulations are the same as for France. In most cases the only document required for entry is a passport, the exceptions being citizens of Australia, South Africa, Bolivia, Dominica, St Lucia, Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad, Haiti, Honduras, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Turkey, when a visa is required. In 2000, for a trial period of three...The Tropical Rainforest
La Route de la Trace winds through the tropical rainforest on the slopes of the Pitons du Carbet from Fort-de-France to Morne Rouge on the southern slope of Montagne Pelée. The town was hit by a second eruption of Pelée on 20 August 1902. A new park has been opened, called Le Jardin de la Pelee, on the hill above the town, where there is a fine display of...South Martinique
Les Trois-Ilets The small village of Les Trois-Ilets, across the bay from Fort-de-France, has a charming main square and is surrounded by tourist attractions. Empress Josephine, born Marie Josèph Rose Tascher de la Pagerie, was baptized in the church on the square. Her mother is buried here and the church, restored with money from Napoléon III, is rather a...North Martinique
The area of Basse-Pointe is the pineapple cultivation area of the island, where huge fields of spikey pineapple tops can be seen. Basse-Pointe is an old settlement with a late 17th-century church and a good view of the cliffs from the cemetery. Inland from here is Plantation Leyritz, a former plantation complex, complete with slave houses and machinery. The...Fort-de-France
Fort-de-France was originally built around the Fort St-Louis in the 17th century. The settlement’s first name was Fort-Royal and its inhabitants are still called Foyalais. From 1681 it was the headquarters of the Royal Governor although St-Pierre was the commercial capital and seat of the bishop. It became the capital of the island in 1902 when St-Pierre...Entertainment
For those whose visit does not coincide with any festivals, there is plenty of other entertainment. The Ballet Martiniquais (T 63 43 88) is one of the world’s most prestigious traditional ballet companies. Representing everyday scenes in their dance, they wear colourful local costume and are accompanied by traditional rhythms. Information about performances...Communication
Postal services Post offices are open from 0700-1800 and Sat mornings. The main post office is on Rue de la Liberté and always has long queues. Post card to USA 3.70F Telecommunications Nearly all public telephones are cardphones except a few in bars and hotels which take coins. At the PTT office in Rue Antoine Siger, just off the Savane, there are numerous...Getting Around
Car Hire There are numerous car hire firms at the airport and around town; Europcar Interent, Aéroport Lamentin, T 421688, F 518115, Fort-de-France T 733313 and several hotels; Hertz, 24 Rue Ernest-Deproge, Fort-de-France, T 606464. Airport, T 421690, F 514626; Avis, 4 Rue ; Ernest-Deproge, Fort-de-France, T 701160, Airport, T 421692. Prices start from 200F...Food and Drink
Sampling the French and Créole cuisine is one of the great pleasures of visiting Martinique. There is an abundance of restaurants, cafés, and snack bars to be found everywhere. The quality is generally very high so it is worth being adventurous and trying the various dishes and eating places. The main meal of the day is at midday and many restaurants and...Accommodation
Hotels Martinique offers a wide range of accommodation from the modest family-run auberges scattered over the remote and spectacular N, to the huge 5 star complexes of Pointe du Bout and Trois Ilets, the main tourist area, in the S. 20 hotels with over 60 rooms are classed as Grand Hôtellerie. About 100 smaller places are grouped as Relais Créoles. The...On Arrival
Airports Lamentin Airport, T 421600. A new, modern airport opened 1996. There is a Tourist Office for hotel reservations and information, T 421805/1806, Crédit Agricole and Change Caraïbes for foreign currency exchange (see below), car rental offices and ground tour operators. To get to the airport at Lamentin, either take a taxi, which presents no...Getting There
Air From Europe: scheduled direct flights from Europe are with Air France, which has flights from Paris; Air Liberté flies from Paris; AOM French Airlines from Lyon, Nantes and Paris. Air France also has direct flights from Cayenne, Caracas, Miami, Pointe-à-Pitre, Havana, Port-au-Prince and Santo Domingo. Ask Air France for youth fares if you are under 26,...Before Travelling
Climate The lushness of Martinique’s vegetation is evidence that it has a far higher rainfall than many of the islands, due to its mountainous relief. The wet season lasts from June to late Nov and the frequency of sudden heavy showers make an umbrella or raincoat an essential piece of equipment. The cooler dry season lasts from Dec to May and the year...Tourist Information
Local Tourist Office Lamentin Airport, T 421805/18 06; Bord de la Mer, Fort-de-France, T 602773/602795, F 736693. Postal address: Office Départemental du Tourisme de la Martinique, BP 520, 97206 Fort-de-France Cédex. There are local information bureaux (Syndicat d’initiative) all round the island, many of which can be found through the town hall (mairie)....Ads