 Martinique is a slice of France set down in
the tropics. Islanders wear Paris fashions, eat baguettes and croissants
from the corner pâtisserie, and pay for them with Francs. Zouk music
pouring out of tape players, bars and nightclubs will remind you,
however, that Martinicans have a culture of their own that's solidly
based on West Indian Creole traditions. If
one listens carefully to the Creole dialect that’s spoken on
Martinique, you’ll be able to hear what this island is all about: It’s
partly French and it’s partly something different.
Like France, Martinique has stylish food, stylish clothing and a great
pride in all things French (and occasional impatience with things not
French). But it’s also very much a part of the Caribbean, reflecting the
African heritage that has influenced the region. A raucous Carnival
takes place before Lent, sugarcane and banana farms cover the
mountainous terrain and cockfighting is the local passion.
Many centuries ago, the Carib Indians called this magical isle "Madinina"
(Island of Flowers). Today, Martinique is still one of the world's most
beautiful destinations. Its 425 square miles make Martinique the second
largest island of the French West Indies and include incomparable
gardens, towering rain forests, sensational beaches, delightful villages
and fascinating
 historical
sites. The island's terrain is marked by hills, plateaus and mountains,
while its irregular coastline is cut by coves and deep bays.
Martinique's main resort areas are on the southwest coast, from Pointe
du Bout to Sainte-Anne.
Columbus sighted Martinique in 1493,
but did not go ashore until another voyage in 1502. At that time, the
island was inhabited by the Carib Indians who had already exterminated
the Arawaks. Columbus named the island Martinica in honor of St. Martin.
Upon his arrival in Martinique in 1502, Christopher Columbus said, "This
land is the best, the most fertile, the most gentle, and the most
charming in the world. It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.
My eyes never tire of seeing such greenery." The French arrived to claim
the island and begin permanent settlement there in 1635. They began to
cultivate sugar cane and import slaves from Africa. As forests were
cleared to make room for sugar plantations, fierce battles with the
Carib Indians ensued. With the treaty of 1660, the Caribs agreed to
occupy only the Atlantic side of Martinique. This peace was short- lived,
however, and they were exterminated or forced off the island shortly
thereafter. In 1762, the English occupied the island, but returned it
the following year in exchange for Canada. They invaded and held the
island once again from 1794 to 1815, when it was returned to the French.
In 1848, Victor Schoelcher, a French minister for overseas possessions,
convinced the government to sign an Emancipation Proclamation ending
slavery in the French West Indies. On March 8, 1902, came the most
devastating natural disaster in Caribbean history; the
Mont Pelée volcano erupted, destroying
the city of St. Pierre and claiming the lives of all but one of its
30,000 inhabitants. As a result, the capital was permanently moved to
Fort-de-France.
Martinique's capital, Fort-de-France, is a chic, modern city of 100,000
people, the largest in the French West Indies. Urbanization has spread
to much of the island, and most of Martinique's large towns feel like
modern suburbs. Nevertheless, nearly a third of Martinique is forested
and other areas are given over to pineapples, bananas and sugar cane
fields. You can still find fishing villages and remote beaches untouched
by development, and there are plenty of hiking trails into the
mountains.
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