Things to see and do North Inland

The highest point on the island at 1,397 m, Mount Pelée is now a Unesco World Heritage Site, and inspires respect among the island's inhabitants, who still remember the tragedy of May 8, 1902.

There are four different routes to the summit, each different in length and difficulty. Before setting off, find out if the path you want to take is open, and always take water, a hat and sun cream, good walking shoes and food with you. The weather at the summit is fickle and rarely predictable, and can turn a sunny hike into a storm.

2 circuits from Morne-Rouge. The Aileron trail. 2h30 return. Medium level. Starts from the parking lot of the Refuge de l'Aileron bar.

The caldera. 6h return. Difficult level. Steep path joining the Palmistes plateau and overlooking the explosion crater. Cross three refuges before descending on the Aileron trail.

From Grande Rivière. 5 hours 30 minutes return. Difficult level. Start at the corner of the Beauséjour farm road and the D10. Cross the banana plantations, take the forest track for 1 km, continue on a steep slope up the north side of the crater (Morne Macouba).

From Le Prêcheur. 3h return. Moderate level. From the D10 at the entrance to the town, follow signs for La Charmeuse, continue for 5 km to the Grande Savane parking lot. Perhaps the most beautiful of the ascent trails. First you cross cultivated land, then steep, rocky paths.

This is the commune's star attraction. It is accessed via the Montagne Pelée road on the left from Morne-Rouge. It's a walk along a river between two huge cliffs in the middle of the rainforest; the gorges are spectacular for their steepness and their location in the greenery. Gradually, you climb back up to the waterfalls. The surrounding waterfalls provide an impressive backdrop. Watertight cases to protect your souvenirs and camera are available. Swimsuits and towels recommended.

The Maison du volcan is an information and documentation center specialized in vulcanology, with a library on the eruptions of Mount Pelee in 1902 and 1929 in geology and astronomy. The permanent exhibition “The ballet of the continents and its consequences” informs about the seismic risks affecting the region as well as the Caribbean volcanoes, and shows a rich collection of rocks and sands. If the visit can sometimes be difficult to access for the youngest, it provides a better vision of the volcanic phenomena.

In the middle of the tropical forest, a waterfall of more than ten meters, fresh and limpid, flows into a small basin where it is good to refresh oneself (the water temperature is around 16 degrees!). Its name would come from the numerous gendarmes who, coming from Saint-Pierre, stopped there to make their horses drink. It is said that one of them fell while trying to climb the rock face from which the waterfall flows. This green area with its clear water is ideal for picnicking and listening to the birds sing.

It is from a chapel built in the 17^th century around a cross, on a plot of land that served as a cemetery for the slaves of the surrounding dwellings, that this parish church was erected in 1848. It miraculously resisted cyclones and the eruption of Mount Pelee. Of baroque inspiration, its forms are harmonious. The two transepts were added in 1925, and the bell tower in 1962 to replace a previous one dating from 1880.

Now a Unesco World Heritage Site, the Pitons du Carbet consist of a group of volcanic massifs, with five peaks in close proximity to each other at altitudes of between 1,000 and 1,200m. The hike, which starts from Fonds-Saint-Denis (Plateau Boucher), is a sporty one, lasting 6h30 and requiring excellent physical condition. Because of the steep terrain, you'll sometimes have to use ropes and take steep paths. But the effort will be rewarded: from the top, the view of the Caribbean coast is breathtaking.

Isabelle and Hervé Damicot are creating a forest garden on the land of a farmer in Morne-Rouge, based on the principles of syntropy. The basic rule of this new form of agriculture is to re-establish the balance between humans and living organisms, and to stop opposing nature and agriculture. According to Hervé Damicot, creator of the Jardin des Papillons in Carbet, then of the Jardins partagés de l'Anse Gaïac, we must try to rebuild the environment in a productive and respectful way, taking nature's interactions as our model. By applying these principles to this 12-hectare forest garden, the aim is to care for the soil and establish healthy, sustainable farming. The site welcomes volunteers and woofers from all over the world eager to learn these environmentally-friendly techniques.