Things to see and do Fort-De-France & Area

The tourist office now covers the 4 communes of Fort-de-France, Le Lamentin, Saint-Joseph and Schoelcher. It offers guided tours of Fort-de-France off the beaten track. We highly recommend the "audioguided tour of the city center", to discover the most incredible corners of Martinique's capital! The team is super friendly and ready to guide you according to your preferences for unforgettable events and discoveries.

At the bend in the road to Balata, in the heart of a tropical environment, stands this building, which is a replica of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Montmartre on a scale of 1/5, the work of the English architect Charles Albert Wulfleff (1929). At the base of the dome is the following inscription: “Au Sacré-Coeur, la Martinique reconnaissante (To the Sacré-Coeur, Martinique is Grateful)”. In addition to its remarkable stained-glass windows and mosaics, the site offers a splendid view of Fort-de-France and its bay.

Take time to discover this colorful traditional market: it is one of the most beautiful shots of the city. Under the big hall, the stalls overflow with seasonal fruits, vegetables (avocados, yams, chayotes), flowers (shell ginger, anthuriums, ginger flowers), spices and condiments (nutmeg, chili pepper, banded wood, cinnamon, India wood). The “doudou, vini-vini” are the characteristic calls that set a sudden family atmosphere. It doesn't take long to get friendly with the market people while shopping.

It is one of the jewels of Fort-de-France. Several times destroyed (notably by the terrible fire of 1890), the old straw and pitchfork chapel was replaced in 1891 by the current cathedral. Its framework is entirely metallic in order to resist earthquakes, but also in reference to the techniques used in France by Gustave Eiffel. It houses the tombs of several governors of the island, whose exact location is kept scrupulously secret. It was classified as a historical monument in 1989.

Dillon changes its identity to Maison Dillon. The Dillon brand has been part of Martinique's history and heritage since 1779. The distillery grows its own sugar cane to produce its wide range of quality rums. Its rich saga includes rhums vieux, rhums blancs, punches and cane syrups. Now closed to the public, the industrial site continues to produce, developing its recipes and know-how away from the public eye. Visit our online boutique for a unique selection of exceptional rums.

It is one of the few places devoted to West Indian prehistory. Located near Place de la Savane, in a former 19^th century military commissariat building, the museum details the history of Amerindian settlement in the Lesser Antilles. The collections bring together more than 2,000 pieces from the pre-Columbian era, in particular ceramics and stone or shell tools dating from the Native Americans up to 4,000 years BC!

In Schoelcher, a monumental sculpture has come to sublimate the Place des Arawaks since 2001, forming one with the surrounding nature. Created by the Martinican artist Henri Guédon, a man of peace, a committed anti-racist, the Trees of Freedom represent eight ornaments inherited from the Abakua writings of the Caribbean Indians: they symbolize the freed Man. These five bronze sculptures are statues halfway between Man and plant, evoking the fraternity and symbiosis that linked nature to the first inhabitants of the island.

La Favorite is one of the island's last two family-run distilleries, and the last to still operate the traditional steam engine! In 2022, the distillery celebrated its ^180th harvest, bringing out a whole new range of original cuvées! Set amidst sixty-two hectares of sugar cane, the emblematic distillery, founded in 1842, produces around 500,000 liters of pure cane juice rum every year between February and June, using traditional, artisanal methods and its 1906 steam engine. Our white rums (Rivière Bel Air, Digue...), aged rums (the famous Flibuste, Réserve du Château or Privilège pour Lulu) and "hors d'âge" rums, which regularly win awards at national and international tasting competitions, delight the palates of connoisseurs the world over.

The distillery is open to the public, so you can stroll around at your leisure, meet the farm workers on site, and discover the secrets behind the crafting of this agricultural rum in the purest tradition. Here, the cane is still cut by hand, and crushed using the energy produced by the original steam engines. The visit, which we highly recommend if you're a lover of authenticity, ends with the tasting room and the boutique dedicated to the sale of these exceptional rums. The history of the estate and its owners is presented. Prepare to be drawn in by the scent of vanilla, roasted coffee and rum, while the sound of the machines will take you back 100 years.

For a long time, the Savane was only a vast field of military training, on which the soldiers of the Fort-Saint-Louis garrison practiced.

This area, reclaimed from the mangrove by the governor of Blénac, was developed in the 19^th century to become the “Jardin du Roy”, flanked by a parade ground. It was then planted with a multitude of indigenous species: royal palms, bakouas, fig trees and cheese trees. These secular trees were devastated by Hurricane Dean in 2007.

The highlight of the restructuring of the Fort-de-France waterfront in the early 2010s, this vast 5-hectare green esplanade has been completely rehabilitated with, in the center, a mini-forest of royal palms, adorned with bougainvillea and traveler trees. All around, kiosks housing snack bars and souvenir stores line the square, which opens onto the pretty Plage de la Française. It was once lined with statues of Josephine and Pierre-Belain d'Esnambuc, who settled on the island just before the arrival of French settlers in 1635, but these were torn down and toppled in June 2020 by a group of activists.

Today, the Savane is one of the emblematic sites of Fort-de-France and one of the Foyalais' favorite places for walking: it hosts most of the events and becomes every year the nerve center of the island during the carnival. For the people of Martinique, in addition to its historical role, the Savane is also an important meeting place where lovers used to meet.

Typical of the development of metal architecture, the meat market dates from the beginning of the last century. Built in the same year as the large covered market, it is distinguishable for its magnificent ironwork. The stalls are manned by rather discreet men, but its unique atmosphere is due to the housewives who, in a verbal clatter, decide the price of the butchery! The same Creole atmosphere can be found at the fish market, which is held along the canal.

The Schoelcher tourist office welcomes and informs tourists about current events, especially those organized by the city. The site promotes tourism in Schoelcher: water sports, heritage, culture, accommodation, going out, and gastronomy. You can also book certain excursions and tourist excursions directly on the spot. A lot of information for families.

Organizer of the Lamentin Jazz Project, the Lamantins de la Mode, Danmyé Samdi Glorya, Mad'Akoustik, Bitasyon, or the Nuit du Conte in March, this very active cultural center has many talents. For the pleasure of all, tenors and young prodigies share their love for instruments that are a bit neglected and dance to bewitching rhythms. Other shows and events throughout the year can be found on their Facebook page.

Formerly a courthouse built in the heart of the city between 1905 and 1907, the building now houses the municipal department of culture of Fort-de-France. The neoclassical academic style architecture (columns, architraves, pediments, pilasters) presents an ordered façade on the upper part on which are engraved “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”. In front of the building is a statue of Victor Schoelcher, made in 1900 by a Parisian sculptor, commemorating the abolition of slavery. Rest in its park to the rhythm of its fountain.

Located in the heart of Fort-de-France in the shade of mango, pear and mahogany trees, the Regional Museum of History and Ethnography is one of the oldest bourgeois villas (1887) in the city center. Through the different rooms of the house, a reconstitution of a typical interior of the time, discover a collection of traditional Creole costumes, jewelry, paintings, old books and documents retracing some of Martinique's great historical episodes.

Much more than a cultural action center, this hub of activity welcomes young Martinican talent to discover traditional dance, music, theater and plastic arts. SERMAC's facilities are located in the heart of the floral and cultural park, which is also home to Le Grand Carbet auditorium, a major venue for Fort-de-France's cultural festival. And it's a beautiful green space in the heart of the lower town.

With its well-illustrated website, filled with lots of practical information, the Comité Martiniquais du Tourisme offers a superb introduction to any stay on the island. With its beautiful photos and calendar of events, the website meets all types of needs for all types of clientele. If you are not connected to the internet, go directly to the building located on the seafront of the capital to find tips and other valuable advice.

The Parc Naturel Régional de la Martinique offers "relays" at various points around the island. These are dedicated to providing information and raising public awareness on themes relating to heritage, culture and all the outdoor activities offered by the PNRM throughout the territory. You'll also find information on site visits, hikes and walks in the surrounding communes, as well as a store offering a wide variety of local and artisanal products.