Local history and culture South Caribbean

Sainte-Luce remains one of the most authentic cities on the island. To discover it, there is nothing like a morning stroll along the boulevard Kennedy which follows the sea, at the time when the first stalls of the covered market are set up and when the fishermen return to the port with their daily catch. The many cafés and restaurants come alive later in the evening. After the market, continue towards rue Schoelcher to go to the Sainte-Luce church, surrounded by old houses, and then return via the town hall.

Dare to take the red brick road, and you will land in another era, that of a village where dozens of men and women work. The Village de la Poterie is an authentic village, that was once inhabited, a unique place which gathers in the same site 45 different workshops and trades: a brick factory and craftsmen potters dating from the 18^thcentury, craftsmen and designers (furniture, fashion, decoration, soaps…), artists (jewelers, painters), souvenir stores and local products (chocolates) and some restaurants.

Martinique's southernmost rum distillery. With the launch of Braud & Quennesson, the family of Martinique agricultural rums expands. The arrival of this new rum distillery marks the rebirth of an emblematic site: the old Le Marin factory, founded in 1866 by the Braud and Quennesson forefathers and closed since the 1970s. This exceptional site benefits from a unique terroir and a particularly warm, humid microclimate, which confers exceptional qualities on the rum: aroma, freshness and smoothness. According to cellar master Stéphanie Dufour, the cane has one of the highest sugar contents on the island. The house's positioning is resolutely upmarket: controlled productivity, quality work, few cuvées (4 round, gourmet whites: 59°, 59.2°, 55° and 50°). And this year, the range has been extended to include its first wood-aged rums, which, after 12 months' ageing in a combination of casks, are ready to reveal all their aromas. This site, steeped in history, boasts a beautiful boutique and a botanical garden planted with coffee, calabash, cheese and mango trees, making it a delight to stroll through. The ruins of the old sugar factory are still clearly visible. Cane is currently distilled at the Simon dwelling, but the De Gentile family, who are at the head of the project, hope to launch their own distillery in a few years' time. A must-see!

The town of Le Marin is built on a hillside around the marina bay. A walk in the rue Duquesnay and rue Zola will allow you to contemplate some beautiful examples of Creole architecture from the beginning of the 20^th century. On the road to the south, don't hesitate to branch off and get lost in the narrow streets of the old town. On the seaside, you will let your steps lead you to the discovery of the ships at anchor, some of them particularly impressive, and the marina, very modern.