Martinique's West Coast: From Le Robert to Marigot

Le Robert

Le Robert is a large agricultural and fishing town with a spectacular bay known as Havre du Robert. The cove, which is almost five miles long and three miles wide, is protected by a group of islands scattered offshore, and is considered among the most attractive in the Antilles. You can park and walk along a grassy area to observe the islands and boats in the harbor, but you actually get a better view coming in on highway N1 or from the hills above the town on D1 near the community of Vert-Pré.

Caravelle Peninsula

A short distance north, take highway D2 out to the Caravelle Peninsula, a fabulous mix of cliffs and beaches that juts seven miles into the Atlantic. In French, a peninsula is called presqu’île, which means “almost an island.” Indeed, the ragged piece of land looks like a small islet that accidently bumped up against Martinique and became attached. You can drive along D2 all the way to Réserve Naturelle de la Caravelle, a natural reserve that covers the entire western end of the peninsula. It’s criss-crossed with hiking trails, capped off with a lighthouse offering extraordinary views. This is the site of the former Dubuc family estate.

In the park are the ruins of Château Dubuc, a sugar plantation built around 1770 by the legendary Dubuc de Rivery family, who presumably acquired their wealth from smuggling slaves and looting ships that wrecked on their shore. It’s interesting to meander around the grounds and ruins, which include the manor house, jail cells (supposedly used for holding slaves) and a mill. There’s also a small museum that displays items found during archeological excavations. Supposedly, this is the ancestral home of Aimée Dubuc, who some say was kidnaped by pirates and sold to Turks as a slave. Later, she became a mistress to the Sultan of Constantinople and gave birth to Mahmud II, who became the powerful sultan of the Turkish Ottoman Empire.

The busy town of La Trinité, on the north side of the peninsula, has outgrown its road system, and you will have traffic all along N1, which runs next to the attractive waterfront development. There’s no reason to stop, unless you need a break, so continue toward Sainte-Marie and watch for a turn west onto D25, which will take you to Morne des Esses.

Morne des Esses

Morne des Esses was once a hideout for escaped slaves and is now a strong center for native African and Caribbean culture. Stop at La Paille Caraïbe, where you can watch skillful weavers at work making baskets, hats and other functional items. You can buy the superbly made crafts in the co-op store.

Sainte-Marie

Sainte-Marie is a large town full of activity, especially along the attractive waterfront. If the tide is out, you can actually walk to the little islet with the cross on top that sits out in the bay. Turn left (west) off N1 onto D24 to reach the Musée du Rhum at the Saint-James Distillery, and the Musée de la Banane.

The Rum Museum offers an overview of rum production on Martinique from cultivating the sugarcane to marketing the liquor. The museum is set in a lovely colonial house on the plantation next to the Saint- James Distillery, so the information given is slanted toward that company. But the process and history of rum making is essentially the same for all distilleries that produce pure cane-juice rum, so you’ll come away well educated.

The Banana Museum, on the same road, is set on the working estate of Habitation Limbé. In this former master’s house you’ll find out everything you ever wanted to know about bananas. Then you tour the Créole workers’ shacks to see all the products that can be made from the banana plant – dolls, hats, jam, desserts, perfume and soap. Afterward, you’re free to stroll the 10-acre estate.

To get to Habitation Fond Saint-Jacques turn left about a mile north on N1. Thanks to the University of Montreal in Canada, this is one of the bestpreserved estates on the island. The original plantation was started by Dominican priests in about 1660. Some 30 years later, the renowned Père Jean- Baptiste Labat took control and made it the most advanced and profitable rum-producing enterprise.

Marigot

Marigot is a pretty, flower-filled town built around a bay where native Arawak tribes once lived. If you have time, drive up D15 to the lookout high on Pain de Sucre (Sugar Loaf), which is named for its similarity to the geological formation of the same name in Rio de Janeiro.