Our first stop is in Balata. Here stands the Sacré Coeur. It doesn't just share its name with the one in Paris — it looks just like it too. From here, you have a wonderful view of the capital.

We continue to Le-Morne-Rouge. There we discover a beautiful old church that's worth a stop. Across the street, we grab a small but delicious snack, as we want to walk at least partway up towards the summit of Montagne Pelée — the volcano that destroyed the former capital Saint-Pierre in 1902. Behind the snack bar, there's a fantastic view of the volcano and down to the coast.

We drive up a small road (D39) to the parking lot with a viewing platform. From there, it's a steep climb in scorching heat. Halfway up, thick clouds roll in and we turn back. Climbing this mountain means getting up early — it's best to spend the night at the Auberge de Montagne Pelée just below the parking lot.

We drive back to the roundabout and head east towards L'Ajoupa-Bouillon. Just before the town, we turn left. A narrow road leads us to Gorges de la Falaise. For €7 admission, you first have to climb steeply down into a gorge. A guide is already waiting there. With him, we wade through a river in a very narrow yet very tall canyon to the Gorges waterfall.

We keep stopping to lie in the rapids, let the water massage us, or stand behind a curtain of water. All in all, a very exciting experience in a beautiful setting. Definitely don't miss this — just bring water-resistant shoes and swimwear, that's all you need for this adventure. You can store your camera in a waterproof container available on-site.

After this wonderful refreshment, we head to Les Ombrages — another botanical garden on the slopes of a primeval forest gorge — unfortunately also closed due to the off-season. But that doesn't matter: we walk a few steps in (the bent fence makes it possible) into a garden that no longer looks well-kept, as the jungle has reclaimed much of it. But we still want to swim today and continue towards the Atlantic coast.

We pass through the towns of Le Lorrain, Le Marigot, Ste-Marie, La Trinité, Le Robert, Le François, and Le Vauclin. At every signposted viewpoint, we stop and enjoy magnificent vistas. In Le Vauclin, we actually want to swim — but unfortunately it's already quite late, so we leave the beach to the locals who only go bathing in the evening hours. Instead, we treat ourselves to our first coconut ice cream, handmade. We drive back to the hotel before it gets completely dark, where we finally get our swim in the sea — under a full moon! After dark, the partly narrow and winding roads without markings can be quite exhausting and dangerous, as oncoming traffic tends to drive fast with high beams on.