Martinique
Our Posts about Martinique
La Pagerie Museum/SBPR
You wouldn’t know it by its humble appearance, but this quaint little cottage boasts as rich a royal history as you’ll find anywhere in the Caribbean.
This is one of the main exhibition buildings that comprise Le Musee de la Pagerie, or the La Pagerie Museum, located in the seaside town of Trois-Ilets in Martinique. The museum, whose origins date back to 1929, is named for the Tascher de la Pagerie family, which owned a sugar plantation on this site in the 1700′s. Though notable members of Martinique’s aristocracy in those colonial times, it’s doubtful a museum would be erected and maintained to this day in the family’s honor if not for their daughter, Marie-Joseph Rose Tasher de la Pagerie.
You may not know her by the mouthful that is her full name, but you’ve probably heard of her husband, the short-statured, short-tempered icon of military and political power, Napoleon.
Josephine Cup/SBPR
When she met the notorious soon-to-be French Emperor, Marie-Joseph actually went by the name Rose. As the story goes, Napoleon preferred the name Josephine, so of course today and for all time, she’s known as Empress Josephine.
I’ve visited the museum several times in the past few years and am always amazed that such a small, out of the way place could be packed with so much royal European history. The little cottage, which was formerly the plantation’s kitchen, is filled with a wide assortment of Napoleonic era art and artifacts. Paintings, sculptures, furniture, tea sets, lamps, flatware, vases, and more are displayed throughout, tracing the lives and loves of the royal couple.
One of the more popular items is Josephine’s childhood bed (pictured below). I can’t believe it’s still around considering the plantation’s main house was destroyed in a hurricane in 1766 and never rebuilt.
Empress Josephine's Bed/SBPR
Another big draw are Napoleon’s sensual, hand-written love letters to Josephine. Even if you, like me, do not read French, you still get the idea that these letters are fairly risque. And when you consider that just one of Napoleon’s letters to Josephine recently sold at auction for more than $500,000, it makes seeing one here for the €5 (about $6.35) adult entry fee quite the bargain.
Josephine may have gotten divorced from Napoleon, eventually dying virtually alone and in exile just as he did, but the remarkable story of her rise from this spot in Martinique to rule the French Empire alongside one of world’s most iconic figures is still a pretty good reason to pay La Pagerie a visit.
The museum is open every day except Mondays. Weekday hours are from 9am to 5:30pm. On weekends, La Pagerie opens at 9:30am and closes at 12:30pm before reopening at 3pm and closing for the night at 5pm.
For more info, contact La Pagerie via email at museedelapagerie@wanadoo.fr.
A Suite at Plein Soleil/Patrick Bennett
Maybe it’s the rhum. Maybe it’s the food. Maybe it’s the amazing natural beauty. Maybe it’s all of the above… Whatever the reason, Martinique is undeniably among the most romantic islands I’ve ever set foot on.
Martinique is French, after all. Better still, it’s in the Caribbean. Take a bit of that legendary Parisian predisposition toward all things l’amour and combine it with the sultry allure of the Caribbean and you have a recipe for romance rivaling just about anywhere outside of the Eiffel Tower itself.
For further proof, see The Thomas Crown Affair. You know, the 1999 film starring Pierce Brosnan and Renee Russo with the sizzling tropical island getaway scenes… You guessed it, they were filmed in Martinique.
While the actual hilltop villa featured in the film is not available for rental, many comparable options abound for romantics wishing to get their Thomas Crown Affair on in the Isle of Flowers. One of my personal favorites is Le Plein Soleil Hotel.
The living room in the main building at Plein Soleil/SBPR
Located in the breezy hills above the seaside village of Le Francois on Martinique’s picturesque Atlantic coast, Plein Soleil is an intimate and stylish boutique property comprised of 16 artfully decorated guestrooms and suites. Rooms are spread among five colorful villas, each designed in the style of creole cases, or petite houses adorned with wooden fretwork. Many also have small, private plunge pools.
Talk about off the beaten path, you literally have to traverse through a banana plantation to get to Plein Soleil! It’s not a smooth ride either as the nondescript dirt road provides absolutely no hint of the chic hideaway at its zenith.
The going may be a little rough getting to Plein Soleil, but once you’re there everything’s easy. At every turn the property denotes elegance and class. Bright whites accentuate vibrant Caribbean colors, local artwork, straw creations and special touches from Asia. The tropical colors extend to the lush landscaping, which frames the dramatic hilltop vistas nicely, and the gourmet cuisine, which ranks among the best on the island.
The thing that always impresses me most about Plein Soleil (I’ve visited the property six times in the past four years) is the service. The owner, Jean-Christophe Yoyo, and his staff go way out of their way to make guests feel at home. Don’t be surprised, for instance, if one of your servers at breakfast is Mr. Yoyo himself. If you need to iron a shirt while visiting the property, as I have on several occasions, don’t expect the staff to deliver an iron and ironing board to your room. Nope, they’ll just do it for you…with a smile.
Fine dining is always on the menu at Plein Soleil/SBPR
As you may have guessed, I truly love Plein Soleil. My only gripe is that I’m always there alone while traveling on business. Sitting there at night on the wooden deck that hugs the hotel’s dining area, a bottle of fine French wine my only companion, I can only dream of sharing this special place with my wife…some day…
For those who can make a “some day” escape to this hilltop hideaway sooner rather than later, Plein Soleil is offering a Sixth Night Free promo on hotel stays through September 30, 2010. They’ll even throw in complimentary daily breakfast. In total, you’ll save a minimum of about $300 give or take as the exchange rate with the Euro goes.
For reservations and more information, contact Plein Soleil via email at pleinsoleil1@wanadoo.fr.
* The information in this story was accurate at the time of publishing. All rates and specials are subject to change at the travel provider’s discretion.
Courtesy Martinique Promotion Bureau/CMT USA
Most people don’t think of hosteling when they think of the Caribbean, but the dirt-cheap accommodations that have made backpacking across Europe an affordable rite of passage for millions of young travelers over the years do, in fact, exist throughout the region.
Even knowing this, you might assume that Caribbean hostels would be confined to the urban centers of the larger islands, but you can actually find ‘em within more tropical settings in such smaller destinations as Dominica, Tobago, and St. John. Good online resources for Caribbean hostels can be found here, here and here.
With their low-low prices, hostels always qualify as a good deal, but we found one in Martinique that offers a whole lot more.
The Centre International de Séjour (let’s just call it CIS Martinique) recently started offering a full-immersion French language course that includes 20 hours of instruction, accommodations over six nights, all meals, airport transfers and five half-day excursions to scenic locations around Martinique for $960.
That’s just $160 a day to learn French in beautiful island surroundings like the historic city of St. Pierre depicted above.
The rate is based on double occupancy (bring a friend), and all language levels can be accommodated, so even if you don’t know your de rien from your deriere, they’ll have you speaking French in no time.
CIS Martinique
I should also mention that CIS Martinique is not your typical hostel. Any preconceived connections to the dank and sketchy wards that have come to symbolize many European hostels do not apply here.
For one thing, the place is still fairly new, having just opened in June 2008. For another thing, all of the facility’s 65 rooms are equipped with private baths, satellite TV, telephones and Wifi Internet connectivity. Guests staying on the top two floors also enjoy sweeping views of Martinique’s capital city, Fort-de-France, and its beautiful bay. Everyone enjoys free daily breakfast, free parking, luggage storage, daily linen service, use of on-site meeting rooms and 24-hour security.
The Ritz it ain’t, but for a hostel it sounds pretty swank!
There’s even an on-site restaurant and bar serving Creole, French and international cuisine. The bar is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., providing ample time to practice your new fancy French pick-up lines…
For bookings and more information, visit the CIS Martinique Website by clicking here, or contact them via email at info@cis-martinique.com.
* The information in this story was accurate at the time of publishing. All rates and specials are subject to change at the travel provider’s discretion.
Photo credit: Craig Guillot
Swimming and sailing in and amongst Les Huits Ilet du François (the Eight Islets of François) off the Atlantic coast of Martinique.
Photo credit: Craig Guillot
Diamond merchants and scuba divers have at least one thing in common – both place a high value on rarities. Just as the rarest diamonds fetch the highest prices, the least-known and most unique dive sites are treasured among scuba enthusiasts. In Martinique, one such extremely unique dive site lays hidden beneath the small island pictured above. Fittingly, the island is named Diamond Rock.
An uninhabited hardscrabble islet located off Martinique’s southern coast, Diamond Rock is a poor man’s Rock of Gibraltor, rising 600 feet above sea level versus the 1,396-foot height of its distant European cousin. Just like Gibraltor, Diamond Rock carries a great deal of historical significance tied to the British. During the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800’s, the British once fortified Diamond Rock, converting it into a man-of-war of sorts; even going so far as to commission the land HMS Diamond Rock in 1804.
While the British were drawn to the strategic advantages presented by the land atop Diamond Rock, it’s the exciting scuba experience below that draws visitors today. What’s so unique about the dive experience at Diamond Rock? How about this: you can dive under it.
I don’t just mean some small part of under it where you explore a cave and go back out the way you came; I mean all the way under it!
At the base of the rock there’s a triangular cave that extends to the other side, enabling divers to literally traverse under the island emerging on the complete opposite side. The cavern is filled with many varieties of corals and sea fans, with some divers even finding remnants of Diamond Rock’s former British tenants.
As you might imagine, this is no place for novice divers. Strong currents within the cavern reserve this experience to the most skilled divers. For those with the chops, though, it’s not to be missed.
Fortunately, dive operators in Martinique make it easy to check out Diamond Rock, as well as the island’s other great dive sites, through a program called Madinina Pass. A cooperative initiative launched in 2004 by Martinique’s top dive operators, the Madinina Pass provides divers with the freedom to dive virtually anywhere in Martinique for one low price. Each Madinina Pass dive checkbook contains coupons for three, six or 10 dives. Coupons can be redeemed through any of the 12 participating PADI-certified dive operators located around the island. As an added bonus, free equipment rental and insurance are also included.
For more information on scuba diving in Martinique, click here, or call the Martinique Promotion Bureau at 212-838-7800.
Rhum Clement 1952/SBPR
This is Rhum Clement’s Tres Vieux 1952 from Martinique. I first met her on my last trip to the Isle of Flowers this past May. She was sitting on a shelf in the swanky boutique at Habitation Clement flanked by several other beautifully packaged Clement blends, each vying for the attention of gentlemen and lady suitors in attendance.
I played it cool, surveying them all surreptitiously while struggling not to appear over-anxious. Anyone who saw me, though, could tell I only had eyes for Ms. 1952. For me, she stood head and shoulders above the rest.
Was it her classic style and sexy curves that held my gaze? Was it her string-bikini-like accessories that tickled my fancy?
Yes and no. I mean, those characteristics certainly caught my attention, but the thing that really separated her from the rest was her price – a whopping 818 Euros, or about $1,032 as the current exchange rate goes.
As you can well imagine, our courtship ended right there, leaving me to go home with another, less costly Clement beauty. Ever since then I wondered what a thousand-dollar rum might taste like. I mean, at that price I imagine this sweetest of sweet nectars would cure all that could ever ail me, and possibly even reverse aging, make me taller; who knows?
Anyway, I just found someone who has a history with Ms. 1952 – Ed Hamilton, author of The Complete Guide to Rum: An Authoritative Guide to Rums of the World, and the man behind the Ministry of Rum website, one of the best sources of info on all things rum anywhere. Here’s his take:
- I tried it about six years ago in Martinique. It’s very dry, woody with hints of spice and dark fruit in the body. This is the oldest of the rhums still available that was distilled at Habitation Clément before production was moved in 1989, which adds to the cachet. I would drink it with a dark chocolate or a medium to light bodied cigar.
I knew it; she’s special. She also plays hard to get, as by all accounts you can’t find her in any U.S. liquor store. If you have the means, though, I can think of few better reasons to head to Martinique than to win her favor.
On this Friday Happy Hour, I’m drinking to the memory of my chance encounter with Ms. 1952, while also hoping that our lips meet when next I’m in Martinique.
À votre santé!
Craig Guillot
Boat races are a dime a dozen in the Caribbean with virtually every destination hosting a regatta at some point each year. Many of these races have their own special local charms and traditions that make them well worthwhile for culturally curious travelers. As for the others, well, let’s just say that if you want to rock a silly Capt. Stubing hat, you’ll fit right in.
So, where should you go for a uniquely Caribbean boat race experience? For me, the French Caribbean island of Martinique, home to the annual Tour des Yoles Rondes (Yawl Boat Race), is the best choice.
The photo above gives you some idea of why. This is no ordinary sailing competition, all hands on deck manipulating a series of winches and wheels in an effort to tame the wind. Sailing a Yawl Boat actually requires all hands to be overboard, balancing on long poles while riding astride the vessel in an effort to keep it upright… and tame the wind.
Yawl boats featured in the race are constructed with painstaking detail in the grand tradition of Martinican fishing vessels initially developed by local craftsmen many years ago. Each vessel flies brightly colored rectangular sails over rounded canoe-like wooden hulls made from local pear trees. As distinctive in style as they are challenging to sail, quick and agile yawl boats test the mettle of even the most experienced sailors; their rounded hulls ensuring an instant capsize if ever the vessels should come to a stop at sea.
This, of course, also makes them particularly difficult to steer, which often leads to collisions in some of the tighter sections along the course.
The Yawl Race is an amazing spectacle of seamanship, bright colors, and island pride. While some entrants hail from other islands, the majority of teams represent various towns around Martinique. Thousands of residents turn out each day for a week, lining the shores to cheer on their neighbors.
The course runs in a counter-clockwise fashion around the island in seven stages, with each day’s race culminating in Carnival-style celebrations complete with live music, dancing, food and fun. The largest spectacle is reserved for the race finale and the crowning of the overall winner, but the party remains hot all the way through the week, even on the high seas.
Hundreds of yachts, catamarans, speedboats, and other private vessels trail the racers, partying along the way. Charter boat operators offer affordable race packages, including meals, excursions to secluded beaches and more, enabling visitors to experience the race up-close and at sea.
This is how I experienced the race last year, watching the Yawl racers dance atop the waves while enjoying some acras and a few Biere Lorraines. The large crowd of people on the shore combined with the vibrant colors of the Yawls, the music, the dancing, local beer and good local food to create a true Caribbean Carnival feel out on the water. Just a phenomenal good time.
Martinique’s Tour des Yoles Rondes is held each year in late-July (for 2010 the dates are July 26 to August 2).
Your Monthly Moment of Zen
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