Martinique's history is deeply intertwined with its French heritage and the island's strategic importance in the Caribbean. The island was originally inhabited by Arawak and Carib peoples and later became a French overseas department. The French established Martinique as a home port for buccaneers and pirates, earning a notorious reputation for their violent tactics against Spanish captives. The port of Martinique, located in Fort de France, is a bustling hub that welcomes cruise ships and visitors alike. The port area is close to shops, cafés, markets, and beaches, making it an ideal place to spend a day exploring the island. Visitors can try Creole food, visit historical sites, relax on the beach, or take a ferry to nearby resorts.
We had arranged to take an excursion in Martinique to take us along the coast and over to the Distillery Depaz at the foot of Mount Pelee. It was about a 45 minute through Fort de France and up the coast to the distillery. It was a very scenic… and hilly … drive along the beautiful coast and through several picturesque little villages and the original capital St. Pierre… which was destroyed by a volcanic eruption from Mont Pelee in 1902 killing most of its 29,000 inhabitants. The town has been rebuilt but there are many reminders of the destruction. We had a stop at the Depaz distillery and took a tour around the beautiful grounds and distillery buildings. We stopped on the way back to Fort de France at a nice little beach … Plage de Coin … and spent an hour relaxing on beach chairs and having a few drinks. When we returned to town we spent about an hour browsing through the craft markets before returning to the ship.