The most beautiful natural sites to discover Martinique

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.

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.

Without question one of the most beautiful hikes on the island. It is not difficult, over 2.8 kilometers with an average difference in altitude of 170 meters. Discover rich fauna and flora, historical vestiges… Not to mention the river that you will cross in some places. And the best for the end: a breathtaking waterfall of more than 120 meters high, forming a fine curtain sliding along the rocks and the vegetation. Its access is forbidden in rainy weather because of the river, which makes its fords too dangerous. Count 1h30 in total.

It is one of the closest beaches to the town of Sainte-Luce. Very popular with families (ideal shaded areas for picnics, calm sea, clean showers and toilets, not to mention a few snack bars and restaurants here and there), Gros-Raisins beach is very accessible and ideal for a quick sunbath or a moment of aquatic relaxation. The only drawback is that you won't be alone! The area is popular with a number of nearby residences and hotels. Nevertheless, the stopover remains very pleasant. Large, convenient parking lot.

The small Bakoua beach nestles in a quiet cove of Pointe-du-Bout. It's the perfect place for a relaxing day on the stilt bar, the famous Coco Bar, overlooking the turquoise waters - a must at the Bakoua hotel. The beach is open to the public, and deckchairs are available for hire. You can also have lunch on site at the La Sirène restaurant. A very pleasant stopover in Trois-Ilets, between coconut palms and white sand. For more information, contact the hotel of the same name.

The Atlantic coast from Grand-Macabou to Cape Macré is wildly beautiful. It is bordered by two very pretty beaches, notably Anse Grosse Roche in the north, fringed with grape trees on the seashore. Although the sea is often a bit rough (it's the ocean), swimming is still quite possible and the water color varies between deep blue and turquoise. To the south, the Caribbean coast of Pointe Borgnèse, at the entrance of the bay of Le Marin, the sea is calmer. Don't forget to take a mask and snorkel: the sea bed around the Pointe Borgnèse is beautiful.

Morne Larcher is the moving, discreet, unalterable guardian of the baie du Diamant. Eliminated, tired, gnawed, it seems quite fragile from the heights of the commune, before descending towards the city center. It is perched in the distance, always present in the corner of the eye, but it often fades away in the face of the effervescence that agitates the long sandy spit of the beach at Le Diamant. And yet, a few kilometers further, at the foot of the colossus, it is the inversion of the standards: one feels tiny, in front of the trace which snakes and clings to the morne until its summit (402 meters). Morne Larcher is an ancient volcano, now extinct.

From there, you have two options: rest on the beach of Anse Cafard, in the protective shade of the Larcher, or climb the mountain. In the second case, bring plenty of water and good shoes: the climb is short but intense, accentuated by the heat, the humidity and the sometimes very uneven or steep path. After an hour's effort, you will have a breathtaking view of the whole of Le Diamant and the south of the island. You may be disheveled by a razor-sharp paraglider, but you will always be happy with this unique spot! The descent can be done on the side of Anses d'Arlet, on less perched, but a little rockier path. Count then 4 km of coastal laces to find the starting point at Anse Caffard. Another solution can be to come with two vehicles.

In the bookstore you will find a practical guide for hiking: The 31 marked trails in Martinique (9,50 €). Published by the General Council of Martinique in collaboration with the National Forestry Office, it includes 31 itineraries, 170 km of marked trails, 25 maps at 1/25 000, more than 120 photos, two advisory sheets, 46 field abris on the ground.

Anse Azérot is an estate founded at the end of the 17^th century by Father Labat, who saw on this seashore the possibility to easily exploit lime kilns. The path goes along the ocean, its beaches and its high cliffs. It is very easy to get there and, by walking all along it, you will discover the remains of lime kilns… It is the best way to appreciate the island in all its splendor.

To get there: on the RN1, one kilometer before the town of Sainte-Marie, at the crossroads leading to the Sainte-Marie estate.

From Saint-Pierre, it is reachable by a tunnel, discovering steep ocher cliffs pierced by the cannonballs of English ships in the 19^th century, who thought they were attacking Saint-Pierre. It is here, on this black sand beach, that Gauguin resided from June to October 1887. Few people know it, but this beach is home to beautiful wrecks that are easily accessible because they lie close to the shore in shallow water. Yellow buoys mark them. We get back by going along the sea again, admiring the flight of the pelicans.

This superb tropical estate extends over 75 hectares north of Sainte-Luce. The giant cheese maker is king on the edge of the marked trails: one of them even reaches 5.50 metres in circumference. The originality of the place lies in the presence of engraved rocks dating from the pre-Columbian period. The site was indeed one of the settlement sites of the Amerindians. The 900-metre Anoli trail and the 1.6-km Mongoose trail will take you to meet the plant and animal species of this mysterious forest.

The tree is one of the rare survivors of the 1902 eruption. Rooted for more than two centuries, the cheese tree of Saint-Pierre stands majestically at the edge of the departmental road that goes to Fonds-Saint-Denis. Completely burned by the cloud of fire, only a piece of charred trunk remains, but 50 years after the catastrophe, buds, and leaves appear on the burned trunk. Aimé Césaire was fascinated by the destiny of this tree, which he often came to see.

A small strombolian volcano a few hundred thousand years old, this islet was quickly equipped with an artillery piece and fortified to the point of becoming an essential device for the defense of the bay of Fort-de-France. From 1703 to 1739, more than 200 cannons were built in Martinique! The fort, a simple battery around 1728 until the fortification project in 1746, forbids any intrusion into the bay, by aligning itself with the Pointe-des-Nègres. Ilet Ramiers (or Ilet-à-Ramiers) is the entrance to Fort-de-France coming from the South coast and Pointe-des-Nègres is the entrance to Fort-de-France coming from the North Caribbean coast. This islet, almost impregnable, is nestled on a steep rock. The attackers could only approach it from one place: a landing stage protected by a guardhouse. At the top is a flat plateau—only accessible by a ladder 70 feet above the sea—consisting of three coastal batteries, military housing, and a gunpowder magazine; several of these buildings are listed as historic monuments. The rock played a defensive role until 1876 and then served as a lazaretto and military hospital for brief periods in addition to the Pointe-du-Bout fort. A military rest center in the 1960s, this 3-hectare islet is now a site protected by the Conservatoire du Littoral for its flora and fauna, in particular the Lesser Antillean iguana, an endemic species. It is forbidden to enter the site.

Located between Le Diamant and Les Anses-d'Arlet, Petite-Anse is no exception to the rule: fine sand, coconut palms, a volleyball court and small restaurants are all popular with visitors. To get there, all you have to do is follow the seafront and its fishing boats. The road from Le Diamant to Petite-Anse is very pleasant and offers some choice panoramas of Le Diamant rock and the bay, not to be missed. The area is relatively unspoilt by tourism, with limited but excellent accommodation.

This pretty walk links the village of Anses-d'Arlet to Grande-Anse in one hour. The departure at the village cemetery goes up a little on the side of the Morne Champagne hill. The walk continues through the savanna, towards the beach of Grande-Anse. Enjoy the beautiful views of the village and the Caribbean coast, and the abundance of tropical forest, between gum trees and heliconias. A superb and easy walk without hesitation. However, bring good shoes.

The Beauregard Canal is a 2-hour walk along an irrigation path built in the 18th century by Mr. Beauregard, also known as the "Canal des Esclaves". At the time, hundreds of slaves transported the heavy stones used to build the irrigation canal to bring the water from the forest to the Caribbean coast. The hike, surrounded by majestic cheese makers, follows the canal, starts at the place called Maison Rousse and returns by the same path. Sometimes we even walk on the low wall, between the water and the void.

Gateway to the Cul-de-sac du Marin, this beautifully preserved nature reserve is the favourite starting point for divers on their excursions to the Caribbean Sea. But not only: the turquoise waters offer bathers equipped with a simple mask and a snorkel some magnificent surprises as the depths are so colourful! You will also find a white sandy beach with a few corners of shade, very pretty but quickly taken by storm. This still wild place also offers superb views of the bay of Le Marin.