Exploring Southwest Martinique
Friday, October 2nd
After a delicious breakfast, we pick up our Renault Clio from the Jumbo car rental at the neighboring hotel. We visit an old sugarcane plantation called "Maison de la Canne" near Trois Ilets. A well-designed exhibition vividly documents the sugarcane trade and the history of slavery.
Pointe du Bout
We continue on to Pointe du Bout. You simply drive until the road ends and automatically arrive at a Village Creole. Here you'll find boutiques, cafes and tasty sandwiches, all tucked into charming little houses built in Creole style — a lovely spot to stroll around. A bit further along, there's also a picturesque harbor and several restaurants.
Anse de Noir & Anse du Four
Continuing along the D7 in a counterclockwise direction, a small side road branches off to the right. It leads to another worthwhile excursion: Anse du Four — a white sand beach, and just around the corner you'll find Anse de Noir — a black sand beach that was completely deserted when we visited. You simply walk down the stairs at the end of the road.
Grande Anse
Back on the D7 and onward. You inevitably arrive at a small fishing village — Grande Anse. At the beautiful beach of Anse d'Arlet, many colorful fishing boats are anchored.
Rocher du Diamant
A few kilometers further, you reach a viewpoint with a magnificent view of the Rocher du Diamant (Diamond Rock). Here at the southern tip of the island, the Rocher du Diamant rises 176 meters out of the water like a volcanic peak — a basalt cone in the deep blue Caribbean Sea. In the early 18th century, the British used the rock as a fortress and attacked passing French ships from here. In 1805, a combined French-Spanish fleet of 16 ships attacked and recaptured the fortification on the Rocher du Diamant. Today, the rock — or rather the island — is a nature reserve and serves as a breeding ground for many bird species.
Maison du Bagnard & Memorial de l'Anse Cafard
Before reaching the town of Diamant again, you'll find the Maison du Bagnard on the right side — an adorable little cottage. Just a bit further along is the Memorial de l'Anse Cafard, a monument commemorating a large slave ship that sank off the coast on April 8, 1830, taking everyone on board to their death.
Ste-Anne
We arrive back at our beach, which stretches over 3 km. But we want to press on to yet another stunning beach on Martinique, located just before the town of Ste-Anne in the eastern part. If you have some time to spare, take a short stroll through the charming town and you'll be rewarded with beautiful old houses. A gorgeous white sand beach that simply invites you to doze, relax and swim, of course. Here we also enjoy an unforgettable sunset.
Le Marin
Darkness falls quickly, so we make a brief detour to Le Marin, home to the largest marina in the Caribbean — it's truly packed with enormous yachts and small boats. Beyond this attraction, Le Marin also boasts a particularly old church dating back to the 18th century, currently under renovation. There are also lovely old buildings and ruins scattered around the town. In complete darkness and utterly exhausted from the day, we head back to the hotel and promptly fall into bed.
Continue reading the Martinique trip report: Pitons Carbet, Montagne Pelee, Georges de la Falaise Waterfall and the East Coast
