A little about the northern part of Martinique, the west coast above the capital of the island - Fort-de-France and the fishing village Grand riviere.

Trying to drive to St. Lucia

Today in the morning we went to Fort de France - the capital island nation in the Caribbean - Martinique. The task was simple at first glance: buy tickets for the high-speed ferry to St. Lucia to spend two days there, and then from there, through a check-in to Martinique, fly to the island of Guadeloupe.

Used as a vessel high-speed catamarans and the travel time to Saint Lucia is 1:30 hours. For a start, some troubles were within reach of the company's office: Fort-de-France, like a real colonial city, is completely devoid of signs and parking lots.

But, as a rule, in such places the car can be thrown near the fire station or in the port, therefore, focusing on the pipe of the cruise ship, we got to the departure pier through the numerous congestions on the narrow roads of Fort-de-France.

Such traffic jams are created by the inhabitants of this city themselves: at the moment when they stop for a coffee break to chat with friends, a decent tail accumulates behind.

Dropping the car in a drive next to the parking lot cruise liners, it was not without difficulty that we found the office of the Express des Illes company, where disappointment awaited: ferries to Saint Lucia run 2 times a week: Wednesday and Friday. Neither the one nor the other did not suit, besides, tickets for the next flights were sold out.

I had to replay the program, so we stay in Martinique for 2 more days, and then we fly to Guadeloupe.

Air tickets for flights to the islands in the Caribbean are searched for and bought through.

North Martinique

There is a volcano in the north of the island.
It is said that at the beginning of the 20th century, he was so puffed up that from the city - the former capital of Martinique - Saint-Pierre horns and legs remained.
They covered it with ashes and even now some islands of buildings of that era are visible.

I do not understand why Columbus, mooring to the island of Martinique in this very place, exclaimed: Martinique (the land of flowers!).
In my opinion, the north is much more sparse in vegetation in this place: the mountains and hills are brown in color, and after the blooming and green south this place seems boring and wretched.

There are many tourists with cameras in Saint Pierre.
The place is popular.
But I was more interested in the ruins of this question: the narrow roads in the city have deep drainage ditches at the edges.

The slightest deviation from the axis of the street is fraught with the dumping of the car into these ditches.
But the cars of local residents are parked in such a way that the ditch runs under the bottom of the car.

How so? How do they park? The answer was not slow to be found visually: a local resident, driving up to his house, pulls out a shield from the gateway -> covers the ditch with it -> then calmly drives to the other side of the ditch with wheels, and then removes the shield and hides it again in the gateway.

After a while, you will have a choice: go north along the road passing in the immediate vicinity of the volcano or slightly increase the mileage, drive along a good road immediately to the northern coast, and then turn left towards the most fishing of all fishing villages Grand riviere.
We got the second option - the island specificity at this moment was as follows: a cloud constantly hangs over the volcano, so there is no point in driving past it on the road: wandering in the fog along a damp serpentine is a loss of energy and time

English-language sites describe the charms and wonderful views of the north of Martinique, but I drive and see nothing but brown hills.
I drive and think: What the hell am I doing here?
I would lie now on the white sand south beach and enjoyed the gentle and clean sea.

But at some point the car crosses the border like a border: the landscapes change dramatically.
The forest tangled with lianas and shaggy rocks give way to neat banana plantations.

This is what foreigners write about - it is really very beautiful.
A bit like the tropical jungle of Panama ...
Like in the movie Predator with A. Schwarzenegger ...
But there is one nuisance: the roads are narrow, winding and there is no way to stop to photograph this riot of flora ...

The roads are nevertheless good, asphalt, markings and signs.
All this creates a quite comfortable mood for moving along east coast.
And here is the village ...

Village Grand Riviere

The village of Grand Riviere is characterized as wild by western tourist sites fishing village with many taverns serving fresh fish and seafood prepared according to Creole recipes.

In fact, the village seemed pretty, quite civilized and completely deserted.
Well, it's not the season - what can you do about it? ...
I am smoothly moving on to Creole cuisine.
The word "Creole / Creole" is on every other billboard here on the island.

But the guys don't know how to cook.
Show me all the spices featured in Creole cookbooks!

Creole cuisine

Basis of dishes: meat and, to a lesser extent, fish and seafood.
The means of achieving a Creole match is a pressure cooker where meat or seafood is stewed.

Tomato, carrots and onions are used for the sauce.
Beans and rice are used as a side dish.

In several places I was offered sweet potatoes, lettuce, scalded and finely chopped onions.
But these are different trends, like the ubiquitous mayonnaise in Martinique.

Real Creole food is something stewed in grevy + rice or beans.
The local specialty is the so-called black pudding, which despite its foreign name is a common blood sausage.
Also in use are deep-fried balls of a mixture of ground fish meat with sweet potatoes or banana ... in short, rubbish.

Martinique is considered one of the banana exporters.
Of course, it is far from Ecuador, but nevertheless, banana plantations in the north of the island, where land is not as expensive as in the resort south, are very widely represented.
Almost on a par with sugarcane plantations - the main agricultural crop of the island.

Three parts of Martinique

I would divide the island of Martinique into three parts:

• The first part - the south of the island: the location of the beaches and calm sea... The most expensive land. The highest density of population and highways.
• The second part is the capital of Fort de France, a place where you better not appear in the dark = robbed
• The third part - the north and east of the island: agricultural areas and places of compact residence of the black population

The main products on the island are imported.
The main industrial products are Chinese.
Cosmetics, perfume, hygiene products - from the metropolis, from France.
Alcohol: your own, local.

It was noticed today that on different works from weeding to road repairs, Martinique's white population is predominantly employed.
The black population at this time sits with a beer or a ham baguette and enjoys free time.

While the surrounding waters are full of fish and shrimp, they all come from France.
Local residents are reluctant to catch what is under their noses.
Well, this is all familiar and not surprising: in the conditions of the development of social guarantees, the interest in work among the able-bodied population decreases.

Questions that interested me before going to this island:

• where are the best beaches
• in which part of the island is it better to stay
• what to see on the island besides beaches
• logistics of transfers from Martinique to other islands

I found answers to these questions and shared this information above and in the first part of my story.

Prices in Martinique

What is how much it costs on the island of Martinique I was worried and worried in the last place, since I know what a vacation on the islands is Caribbean belonging to territories or under the protectorate of France or Great Britain.

Judge for yourself: the islands do not produce anything and live exclusively through tourism, through the sale of living space to the citizens of the metropolis.
All goods on the island are imported, so if you know - take prices in France or Great Britain and add transportation costs for casting to the islands.
Therefore, the cost of rest here is higher than rest on the Cote d'Azur.

The average bill in a cafe on the beach for two is 60-80 euros.
The cost of a night in a hotel or apartment depends on the season and how early you booked it.
In September, I booked an apartment on the island of Guadeloupe for 70 euros.
Now the same apartment costs 170 euros.

The same thing in Martinique: I finished it off for 2 nights now - I took it for 110 euros and then with a 50% discount, since I took it a few hours before arrival ...
Something like that at prices.

Therefore, vacation in Martinique is not available for everyone: the French come here on social trips (free or with a very large discount) or come for the winter to purchased apartments and villas.
They don't care about prices - they don't go to good suburban restaurants (bill from 150 euros for two) here - they sit at their hotels and drink a cup of coffee all evening.

But you can minimize the cost of food while in Martinique.
If you have a home with a kitchen (apartments), then you can stock up on groceries in supermarkets.)

01 day

MARTINIQUE




02 day

Saint Lucia

Martinique is the most big Island Windward. Just like Guadeloupe, it is a territory belonging to France. This gave birth to a kind of fusion of the French and Caribbean way of life, which is not possible to observe anywhere else.

Martinique exudes a French feeling - in excellent cuisine, in the beauty of its language, in the grace of its streets and gardens. And yet Martinique bears the stamp of its own, conquering the West with Indian warmth in its personality, the spice in its Caribbean music and dance, its local food, and its way of life. Martinique is an island with style.

When in 1493 Christopher Columbus saw Martinique, he said: "This is the most beautiful country in the world." At that time the island was called Madinina - "Island of Flowers".

Martinique is now a piece of France on Caribbean islands... The island is only 65 km long and 20 km wide. In the south and west, the island is washed by the Caribbean Sea, and in the north and east - by the waters Atlantic Ocean... The highest point of the island - active volcano Montagne Pele (1397m), located in the north of the island. In the center of the island rises the Pitons du Carbet mountain range, 1207 m high.




03 day

SAINT VINCENT

Lying between Santa Lucia and the Grenadines, Saint Vincent is the largest and most northerly island in the country. The rugged upwind and quiet and calm leeward coastline, coupled with the lush and mountainous hinterland, make the island a prime tourist attraction country.

Saint Vincent, like other islands, has many beautiful bays and beaches (the beaches of the island are covered mainly with black volcanic sand, with the exception of white sandy beaches at the southern tip), flanked by palm trees and green hills. A combination of coral reefs, clear water and the lofty landscape create ideal conditions for active recreation and leisure on the beaches. And the abundance of colorful local villages only underlines these advantages.

The central part of the island is covered with forests, it is formed by low spurs mountain ranges, cut by deep and fertile valleys, many of which are crowned with cones of the side vents of Soufriere, such as the Mesopotamian valley and the Bonomm peak (970 m), which limits it from the north.

The beaches of the island are covered with black volcanic sand; the exception is the white sandy beaches on the southern tip of the island.




04 day

GRENADINA

The islands of the Grenadines archipelago are small in size, the largest are Bequia, Mustique, Canouan, Mero and Union. Many of the Grenadines are lined with coral reefs.

Bequia Island in translation from the local dialect "island of clouds" is the largest and one of the busiest islands in the chain of Grenadno. Bequia, literally immersed in the green of the gentle hills, is located 14 km south-west of Saint Vicente and is home to numerous yachts that dock in Admiralty Bay on the leeward side of the island.

The life of the island is inextricably linked with the sea. Bequia is famous for its small restaurants where you can taste the unique seafood, and shops where you can buy models of boats of all types and sizes. Every year (usually in April) the island hosts the Easter Regatta, which attracts participants from all over the Caribbean. In the southern part of Admiralty Bay, Moonhall is a true island wonder. Moonhall (Moonhole) is an unusual house, similar to bizarre caves in the rocks, designed by the American architect Tom Joston. All houses are built exclusively from natural materials, there is not a single straight line in them.




05 day

Mero island, about. Union, about. Mustique

Mero Island- the entire population of the island is about 200 people living in the village located on the highest hill. The dry and hilly island, one of the smallest in the Grenadines chain, is privately owned. You can get here only by sea.

O. Union- one of the most southern islands in the chain of the Grenadines - with its silhouette reminiscent of Fr. Tahiti. The indigenous population of the island were Indians from South America, but after the conquests of England and France, slaves from Cameroon and Angola were brought here, the descendants of which are the local population. On about. Union is the second highest point in the state after the Soufriere volcano - Mount Taboy. The island is surrounded by reefs, making its coastal waters a convenient spot for snorkelling. In the harbors of about. Union often stops ships sailing from Grenada and about. Carriac to Saint Vincent. There is an airport on the island, thanks to which it is very easy to get from Barbados and Grenada.

O. Mustique- is located 11 km southeast of about. Bequia. Mustique - small private island, with a length of only 8 kilometers, which is truly considered an elite resort, a vacation spot for the rich and famous people around the world. Mustique is a true tropical paradise with white sandy beaches, wooded hills that are reflected in the emerald sea. You can get from the airport by boat. The boat moors in the heart of the island, the Gulf of Britain. It is here that the bars, restaurants and shops of the island are concentrated.




06 day

O. Canouan

O. Canouan- a dry, hilly island, bounded by a barrier reef in the Atlantic Ocean, located 40 km south of about. Saint Vincent and 18 km south of about. Mustique.

Untouched nature and remote from civilization, Canouan Island is one of the most luxurious and romantic destinations. The most beautiful, quiet island The slopes of which are decorated with blooming cacti, is famous for two excellent beaches: in Glossy Bay and in Friendship Bay and one of the world's largest (!) coral reefs, promising an unforgettable experience for divers. Here, about a thousand people live in seclusion, who are engaged in fishing and farming.

One of the most famous yacht charter companies "The Moorings", opened its club on Canouan Island in 2003 and now this island attracts yachtsmen from all over the world. You can get to the island with American Airlines, which offers several flights a week to Canouan Island from Puerto Rico, and Liat, which operates daily flights from Barbados.

Tobago Case Islands- a complex of four small islands covered with low vegetation. The islands are surrounded by a large underwater reef, which makes it difficult for ships to pass in these places.




07 day

The first inhabitants of modern Grenada were the Arawak Indians, who came here at the turn of the millennium from the nearby islands and the coast, now known as Venezuela. They, and the Carib tribes that began to oust them, called the island Cameron and lived here before the arrival of the Europeans, hunting and raising livestock. Columbus, who was the first Europeans to see the coast of the island in 1498, named it Concepcion, but this name did not catch on and quickly changed to Mayo, and then to Granada in honor of the province of Spain of the same name.

The French, who occupied the island in 1650, called it La Granada, and the British, who received it as a result of the Paris agreements in 1762, began to call it in their own way - Grenada. It has earned its second name - "Spice Island".

Grenada does produce huge amounts of nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger and cloves for such a small piece of land. But the main thing that attracts here every year more tourists More than the entire population of Grenada, it is mountainous terrain, green rainforests and waterfalls, as well as a long coastline with fenced reef bays and superb beaches of volcanic sand.




08 day

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

Antigua and Barbuda are located on the border of the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, they belong to the group of the Lesser Antilles.

The nature of the island of Antigua enchants: majestic mountains, slopes with numerous cacti, rich vegetation of the tropics and beaches white sand, next to which the gentle warm water of the lagoons shines with turquoise. The diversity of tropical wildlife and coral reefs. The island of Barbuda, fifty kilometers from Antigua, remained completely untouched by man, and the fauna there is still extremely rich.

The state of Antigua and Barbuda (and even the small islet of Redonda) arose back in 1967, and became completely independent in 1981. The past of the West Indies is ancient windmills and a fortress from the era of Admiral Nelson. In the present, you can climb Boggy, a mountain from which you can view uninhabited islets.

The national fruit of Antigua and Barbuda is the Antiguan black pineapple (Ananas comosus). It was originally used for twine, clothing and medicinal purposes. It is currently grown mainly on the southern side of Antigua.




09 day

DOMINICA

The indigenous population of the island is the Arawak Indians. In the XIV century, they were conquered by the Caribbean, and 140 years after the discovery of the island by Columbus, the French, after a long war with the Indians, founded the first settlement there. The next owners of the island were the British, who took over the island after the Seven Years' War. And only in 1978 the independence of the island was proclaimed.

Since Dominica is of volcanic origin, the shores are composed mainly of volcanic rocks and the sand on the beaches is black or gray. Although there are also common white sand beaches on the north coast. The water area of ​​the island is great for fishing and snorkeling and is also included in the 10 best places world for whale watching. Numerous National parks will appeal to lovers of hiking and eco-tourism. One of them houses the well-preserved British Fort Shirley. The largest parks on the island are Morne Trois Pitons (famous for the "boiling" Lake Boiling Lake) and Northern Forest (home to two species of the extremely rare Caribbean parrot, one of which is the symbol of the country).

There are many rivers throughout Dominica, and a little higher in the mountains there are also waterfalls, which are obligatory place for most excursions (the most famous are, without a doubt, the Trafalgar Falls). One of the rivers of the island can even be seen in the movies. Many scenes from the movie Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3 were filmed in the vicinity of the Indian River.




Day 10

GUADELOUPE

Guadeloupe was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493. From 1635 the island became a French colony. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the French settled Guadeloupe with black slaves from Africa. England twice conquered Guadeloupe, but in 1816 the island was finally recognized as the possession of France. In 1848 Negro slaves were freed. In 1946, Guadeloupe received the rights of an overseas department of France, in 1973 - the status of an overseas region.

Guadeloupe island of volcanic origin, highest point islands - active volcano Soufriere (1467 m). The island is renowned for the charm of its mountains, lush rainforests and crystal waterfalls.

It was here, on the small island of Pigeon, in a 400-hectare nature reserve, that Captain Cousteau filmed part of the film "The Mysterious World" and made this area world famous. Another gem in Guadeloupe's natural treasury is the luxurious Grand Cul de Sac Marin Nature Reserve, a 15,000 hectare lagoon spread over two islets to the west. It is bounded on one side by the longest coral lagoon in the Antilles, and on the coast by a wide belt of mangrove forests, and serves as a breeding ground for many thousands of birds.




Day 11

MONTSERRAT

Montserrat Is an island of volcanic origin. Among its three volcanic peaks, Chance Mountain was the highest (915 m). After the eruption of the Soufriere Hills volcano, which began in July 1995, by 2006 the height of its lava dome reached 930 m.

In the mountains, tropical rainforests have been preserved. Streams flow from them, forming waterfalls. In ancient times, the island was inhabited by the Caribbean Indians, who called their island "Allihuagana", that is, "the land of thorny bushes."

The island was discovered by Columbus in 1493 and named after the Benedictine monastery of Montserrat in the mountains of the same name in Catalonia.

The Montserrat government does not intend to turn the island into a mass tourism destination, which is why most of the island's attractions are in the wild form that is so popular now. Hiking- one of the most developed species rest on the island. The most popular excursions are to the forests of the island.




12 day

Domnica or Commonwealth of Dominica

Domnica or Commonwealth of Dominica- a state on the island of the same name from the group of Lesser Antilles (Windward) islands in the Caribbean Sea. Guadeloupe is located to the northwest of Dominica, Martinique is to the southeast.

Several scenes from the second and third parts of the film were also filmed in Dominica. Basically, the shooting took place in the northern part of the island: Calibish, Portsmoft, Indian Reeve, and Dominica is a wild corner of the earth, through which you can move using only animal paths, but the virtuosos of the film crew managed to shoot very interesting shots for us. For example, it remains a mystery how they got into the Ti-Tu-Gosh cave, in which the heroes were hiding from the cannibals.

Ti-Tu-Gosh cave- one of the most picturesque and inaccessible places in Dominica. Its name is translated from Creole as "little sip". To get to the cave, you need to walk for a long, long time along the serpentine, then swim through the icy fresh water to get to the entrance to a narrow and deep crevice, where the rocks form several halls, vines hang from above, and only sometimes the rays of the sun penetrate through the dense foliage of tropical plants and a view opens. to the magnificent waterfalls.

The island made a huge impression on Hollywood actors: their interviews testify to this, and Johnny Depp, for example, it was after these filming that he wanted to buy an island in the Caribbean.

/ Martinique

MARTINIQUE

Martinique is located on the island of the same name in the West Indies, which is one of the largest in the Lesser Antilles archipelago. A hilly plain divides the island into two parts - a flat southern and northern, occupied by volcanoes, among which the active volcano Montagne Pele stands out. West Coast it is washed by the waters of the Caribbean Sea, the east - by the Atlantic Ocean. Total area 1.128 thousand sq. km. ... In the north of the island there are mountains covered with dense tropical forests. On the southern plains, plantations of sugarcane, bananas, pineapples, coffee, cocoa and spices replace each other that overlook golden beaches with turquoise water.

The island of Martinique was named by Christopher Columbus "the most beautiful country in the world". And this is not surprising. The island is replete with spectacular landscapes and is considered one of the most beautiful in the Windward Islands group. Superb beaches, secluded coves, lush rainforests, numerous diving and other sports facilities attract tourists from all over the world.

Martinique has all the excellently developed recreation infrastructure - numerous luxury hotels, small picturesque cities with colonial architecture, well-developed transport and communication facilities, as well as traditional distilleries and nature reserves. Stormy mountain rivers are especially beautiful, forming numerous waterfalls - rarely on the Windward Islands you can find such an abundance fresh water like in Martinique. Despite the ubiquitous French influence on the culture of the island, Creole traditions are well visible and practically dominate in cuisine, language, music and customs.

The main attraction of Martinique is nature - excellent beaches, hidden coves, tropical forests, nature reserves, numerous places for scuba diving and other sports, hotels for every taste from not expensive to fashionable. Here you can go for water sports and snorkeling ... or just laze around enjoying the mixture of clove, cinnamon, vanilla and nutmeg scents. Small towns with colonial architecture are cute. Tasting rooms at rum factories are open to tourists. Especially beautiful are the mountain rivers that form numerous waterfalls. The sandy beaches of the "Caribbean Riviera" are beautiful, the old French urban architecture, the developed service sector with excellent hotels, beaches, many cafes, bars, discos, casinos, truly French and Creole cuisine (and for lovers of exotic Chinese, Italian and Vietnamese cuisine) will leave indifferent even a seasoned traveler. The capital of the island is Fort-de-France.

Martinique is an island of flowers. The overseas department of France - the island of Martinique, is located on the island of the same name in the West Indies and is one of the largest in the Lesser Antilles archipelago. The western coast is washed by the waters of the Caribbean Sea, the eastern coast is washed by the Atlantic Ocean. Area ~ 1.1 thousand sq. km.

In the famous picturesque resorts of Martinique, with its embossed shores incredible beauty covered with tropical forests and volcanic massifs, thrills and discoveries await you. Admire the magnificent Bay of Fort-de-France, the coves of Dufour, Noir and Trabaud. On excursions to lakes, hills, plantations and the slopes of Mount Pele, you will see nature in all its splendor. Follow the Flower Road to Red Hill. If you go fishing, stay away from swordfish and barracuda. Relax on Saline Beach under the shade of coconut trees ...

This small island in the Caribbean has a special place in the distribution of coffee. It is from Martinique that all coffee production began. Central America... The first coffee tree was brought here by the French captain Gabriel de Clier, and from here the coffee trees were transported to Guadeloupe, Haiti. Dominican Republic... Unfortunately, coffee is not produced commercially in Martinique, an overseas department of France these days.

Martinique is an island of eternal summer with magnificent hotels (voltage - 220 volts), beaches, true French cuisine along with Chinese, Italian, Vietnamese, Creole. Many cafes, bars, discos, casinos. Great opportunities for sports and recreation - golf, tennis, scuba diving, sailing, horseback riding and cycling. Martinique is covered with tropical forests. Coastline abounds in picturesque bays and bays. A hilly plain divides the island into two parts: a low southern and northern, occupied by old volcanoes, among which the active volcano Montagne Pele stands out.

CLIMATE:

Tropical trade wind, sea. The average annual temperature is about +26 C, while the temperature drops during the season are small ( average monthly temperature almost never drops below +20 C). The hottest month is August (up to +31 C), but the sea winds blowing from the northeast soften the heat even at this time. The "coldest" is January (about +22 C). In the southern part of the island, the average daily temperatures are slightly higher, in the north, where weather noticeably depend on the height of the place (but here it is warm all year round).

The climatic rhythm is determined by the alternation of two seasons - the dry season (“brown”), lasting from December to May, and the “huvernage” season, warmer and wetter, lasting from July to October. The local climate is characterized by high humidity - from 80% (March) to 87% (September-October). Precipitation is 1500-2500 mm per year, mainly in the form of powerful but short tropical showers during the period from May to September. The driest month is April, the wettest is September. Destructive tropical hurricanes are quite frequent.

EXPORT:

Sugarcane, bananas, pineapples are grown for export, and local rum is also popular. The income from tourists is significant, which, first of all, are attracted by the nature of Martinique. Especially beautiful are the mountain rivers that form numerous waterfalls. The beautiful sandy beaches of the "Caribbean Riviera of France", old French urban architecture and developed service industries attract many tourists.

WHEN IS BETTER TO RIDE:

The best time to visit Martinique is during the dry season from February to May.

MARTINIKA - COUNTRY REFERENCE:

Capital
The administrative center and main port is Fort-de-France.

Geography
Martinique Island is one of the Lesser Antilles, a group of Windward Islands, and lies between Dominica in the north and Saint Lucia in the south. It is washed by the waters of the Caribbean Sea in the south and west, and the Atlantic Ocean in the north and east. The total area of ​​the territory is about 1.1 thousand square meters. km.

Population
About 429 thousand people. The majority of the population (90%) are Martinicans - blacks and mulattos, descendants of slaves brought from Africa, as well as immigrants from South India, Chinese, Italians and other ethnic groups.

The majority of the population professes Christianity - about 85% of Catholics, 10.5% of Protestants, Muslims (0.5%), Hindus (0.5%) and representatives of other confessions also live here

Difference in time
Time lags behind Moscow by 8 hours in summer and 7 hours in winter.

Language
Official language is French, but the local dialect of Patois (French Creole

mobile connection
Cellular communication of the GSM 900/1800 standard covers the entire island, the neighboring French Antilles and even Guiana. Roaming with local operators Orange Carapbe and "Bouygues Telecom Carapbe" is available to subscribers of the largest Russian communication companies.

Visa
To enter, you need a visa and a passport. To obtain a visa, you must submit documents to the consular section of the French Embassy at least 30 days before departure. To obtain a visa, you must submit 2 completed application forms, 2 passport-size photographs, an invitation or travel voucher, an insurance policy, photocopies of the first, second and third spreads of the internal passport and a passport with at least one blank page (must be valid at least 3.5 months after the end of the trip), as well as round-trip tickets and proof of sufficient financial resources for the entire period of stay in the country at the rate of $ 100 per day of stay.

Customs
The number of imported and exported means of payment is not limited. An amount over 7,000 euros must be entered in the declaration. A foreign currency converted into euros can only be re-converted into a foreign currency up to the equivalent of 500 euros. Duty-free import of up to 1 liter of strong alcoholic beverages, drinks with a strength of less than 22 ° - up to 2 liters, up to 200 pcs. cigarettes, 500 gr of coffee (or 200 gr of coffee extracts), up to 50 gr of perfume ( toilet water- up to 250 g), tea - 100 g (or 40 g of tea extracts), as well as food (fish - up to 2 kg, caviar - 250 g, animal products - up to 1 kg) and other goods - for persons over 15 years in the amount of 15 euros (for children - 10 euros). The labeling of the shelf life of food products is required!

Tips
In most hotels and restaurants, tips are already included in the cost of service, if not, it is customary to leave a tip in the amount of 10% of the total cost.

The import and export of drugs and psychotropic substances, items of historical value, weapons and ammunition, as well as animals and plants included in the list of endangered species are prohibited.

Entertainment
In January, the official opening of the carnival season is held, during which a festive procession in carnival costumes and street dances are held. The island attracts enthusiasts aquatic species sports from all over the world. Also popular sightseeing tours around the island by jeep, horseback riding and hiking.

RESTAURANTS:

Martinique's cuisine is quite vividly defined by a mixture of French and Caribbean culinary traditions. Moreover, cooking methods are inherited from French cuisine, and products and an abundance of tropical fruits are inherited from the local, Creole cuisine. A characteristic feature is the abundance of all kinds of seafood, rice and various exotic fruits - local eggplant "belange", guava, anona, cassava, pumpkin "girumon", cassava, paradise banana, breadfruit, pineapple, okra and others.

SPORT:

The island attracts water sports enthusiasts from all over the world. Island sightseeing tours by jeep, horseback riding and hiking are also popular.

HOLIDAYS:

March-April - Good Friday.

April - Easter.

end of May - Day of Spirits and Trinity.

V holidays museums are closed, but some shops are open.

SAFETY:

Martinique has a relatively low overall crime rate, but the number of personal property thefts is high. You should especially beware of pickpockets, who often "work" in airports, ports, in public places and in crowded places. You should not carry valuables, documents and large sums of money with you; there are hotel safes for this. You shouldn't take out your wallet in crowded places or leave things in the front seat of your car.

Martinique- the overseas department of France, located on the island of the same name, which is part of the Lesser Antilles archipelago. The area of ​​the island is 1128 square kilometers. Like the rest of France, Martinique is part of the European Union. The island's currency is Euro.

The island of Martinique amazed Columbus with its beauty so much that Columbus called it “ the most beautiful place on the ground". There were sad pages in the history of the island, when not only European countries could not share it among themselves, but also indigenous population- Caribbean - did not want to submit to the enslavers.

The inhabitants of the island are proud that it was here, in Trois-Ilets, that Napoleon's future wife was born - princess josephine, which was predicted from birth to be a royal title.

Martinique is infamous for the violent eruption of the Montagne Pele volcano in 1902. The burning ash and poisonous gas that hit Saint-Pierre turned out to be more destructive atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Of the 30 thousand inhabitants of the city, only one person survived, who was in prison at that time. Saint-Pierre was rebuilt, but lost its status of the capital forever.

Flag of Martniki with the image of snakes has no official status on the island. However, it appeared a very long time ago - by decree of August 4, 1766, according to which the ships of the French colonies of Martinique and Saint Lucia were to sail under the flag, which is a modification of the French flag. Then it depicted a white cross on a blue background, in each quadrant of which there was a snake curved in the shape of the letter L (from Lucia).
And the snake itself is the so-called spear-shaped snake (Bothrops lanceolatus), which lives in Martinique.

It is believed that these snakes were launched into the forests of the island by the slave owners so that, in fear of the snakes crawling through the forests, the fugitive slaves would return. So the snake became the symbol of the island.

The island is quite abundantly inhabited by wild animals - there are numerous species of lizards, possums, mongooses and many species of snakes.

In the past, the island was covered with dense rainforests. Now they have survived only in some places on the slopes of the mountains.

Local real estate at a high standard, there are no slums in Martinique or favela, it's hard to believe, but tourists can go around the entire island and not find signs of poverty... Prices on residential property Martinique is very high, millionaires can afford housing, there is almost no opportunity to obtain a residence permit through the purchase of real estate.

On the small island of Martinique in the Caribbean, there are several dozen rum factories and their slogan: "We will become the rum capital of the world!"

The Caribbean Sea is part of the Atlantic Ocean, named after the Caribbean, the indigenous peoples who inhabited the area before the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors in the late 15th century. Since the introduction of European culture and mechanization, these lands have become a center of cultivation sugar cane and rum production .

The first mention of rum dates back to 1650th year in documents found in Barbados. A little later, rum production appeared in Jamaica and in the French Martinique ... They quickly learned to get this drink industrially, by distilling fermented sugarcane juice, the plantations of which were planted on these islands.

Martinique Island is a French colony since 1635 , has an area of ​​1100 square kilometers, and the population is about 450,000 people. It is one of the richest islands in the Caribbean, after the Cayman, Bahamas and Virgin Islands. Almost the entire population of Martinique works in tourism or rum production.

Curiously, the island's tourism activities are closely related to the history of the Roma. So, for example, one of the most popular excursions is a trip to Saint marie , v rum museum located on a sugar plantation Saint James .

Today, dozens of rum factories operate in Martinique, and the island's slogan is: "We will become the rum capital of the world!"

Among the most famous rum production on the island are:

Distillerie Dillon Fort-de-France

Distillerie Depaz Saint-Pierre

Habitation Clement François

Trois-Rivières Sainte-Luce

La Mauny Rivière-Pilote

Rhum Neisson Le Carbet

St. James Rum Museum Sainte-Marie

Bally (Habitation Lajus) Le Carbet

Distillerie JM Macouba

Distillerie St. Etienne Gros-Morne

Distillerie La Favorite Lamentin

Due to the fact that Martinique is one of the departments of France, local rum is produced under very strict control. WITH 1996 year Martinican rum awarded an honorary title A.O.S. It is awarded to rum if the entire production of an alcoholic beverage, from the moment of growing the cane to bottling, is carried out to the highest standards, and the strength of the distillate is at least 65-75 degrees.

Yuri Dymov
Especially for CIGARTIME ©