The Romance, Mystery of Martinique

FORT-DE-FRANCE, Martinique —  This Paris of the Caribbean usually rates only a few paragraphs in guidebooks covering the French West Indies, and often scarcely a mention in descriptions of island tours. But there is much to see and do on this island, and getting to know Fort-de-France can be the best of all possible introductions to Martinique.

A 20-minute walk from where our cruise ship docked took us to La Savane, a 12 1/2-acre central city park of shade trees, lawns, tropical gardens, tranquil paths and tucked-away benches.

Across the Park

Looking across the park, this capital city of 106,000 is set against tropical hills rolling back toward the silhouette of Mt. Pelee. When the volcanic mountain erupted in 1902, more than 30,000 people were living near its base in what was then the economic center of St. Pierre. All were killed except one prisoner who survived in a stone cell. Mt. Pelee has been dormant since 1932.

The southerly end of Parc La Savane fronts on the sheltered harbor known as Baie des Flamands (Flamingo Bay). From there, ferries and small pleasure boats cross the bay to the resort hotels and soft-sand beaches around Pointe du Bout. At that end of the park is a poignant memorial to the young men of Martinique who lost their lives while serving in French armies during World Wars I and II.

Off Boulevard Chevalier, along the southwest greenery of La Savane, a peninsula of high bluffs reaches into the bay. There in 1640 the first French colony began building the walls and moat of Ft. Saint-Louis to defend the entrance to the harbor.

The ramparts turned back a Dutch naval force in 1674. A city that came to be known as Ft. Royal developed around the fortification. Nearly a century later the British captured it by attacking from the land, and Ft. Royal became Ft. Edwards.

Since 1814 all of Martinique has been French, a fact that is sculpturally noted by the statue of Empress Josephine near the northern and inner-city edge of La Savane. She was born on one of the grand plantations across the harbor from Fort-de-France. Local legend says that when she was 13 an island fortuneteller told her she would one day be queen. She was in Paris and close to the guillotine as a nobleman’s young widow when her beauty caught the eye of Lt. Napoleon Bonaparte.

Just across Rue de la Liberte from the Empress Josephine statue is a resplendent building of Romano-Byzantine architecture.

It is the Schoelcher Library, named after Victor Schoelcher, a scholar and writer who helped end slavery on Martinique in 1848 and then devoted his life to educating the liberated black people. In 1883 he donated his library of about 9,000 volumes to continue the educational effort.

Research Library

Architect Henri Pick, a contemporary of Gustav Eiffel, creator of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, was deeply impressed by Schoelcher’s work and designed the library to be named after him. It was shipped piece by piece from France to Martinique and completed in 1893.

The fanciful dome and facade, the interior white sculptures and golden mosaics of the cupolas make the library a photographer’s mecca. The main entrance is often a showcase for island arts and crafts.

Four blocks south of the Schoelcher Library, following Rue de la Liberte beside Parc La Savane, we turned into a block of Parisian shops toward the spire of Saint-Louis Cathedral.

This cathedral was also the work of architect Pick, and it’s something you might expect to find in Paris. The grand organ is widely known in the world of music.

Another block toward Flamingo Bay along Rue de la Liberte is the Departmental Museum, which has one of the outstanding archeological collections in the Caribbean. More than 2,000 pre-Columbian artifacts trace the history of the settlement of Martinique by the peaceful Arawaks and warlike Carib peoples.

Stepping out of this museum we strolled up Rue Victor Hugo, a street of some of the finest shops in Fort-de-France. At 7 Rue Victor Hugo the Roger Albert emporium showcases French imports, from crystal to perfumes and designer-label fashions. Boutiques and jewelry shops line both sides of the street.

At 53 Rue Victor Hugo the Museum of Transportation traces the history of Caribbean travel, from the Arawak and Carib canoes to the Boeing 747.

Stroll Through Gardens

Next to the River Madame and across from Parc La Savane is the Parc Floral, whose shaded walking and gardens are home to the Geological Gallery and the Botanical Gallery. The geological displays begin with prehistoric volcanism on Martinique, and the earliest coastal rock formations. The Botanical Gallery introduces nearly 2,800 species of plants on Martinique.

Throughout July the Festival of Fort-de-France presents plays, ballets and variety performances every evening. During the first two weeks of December, musicians come from around the world to participate in alternate years of jazz and guitar festivals.

Martinique is ringed with large and small resorts and hotels, and Guite Ruraux country guest houses all around its beaches--from Pointe du Bout to Club Med. There’s also a wide range of accommodations within the Parisian setting of Fort-de-France.

The Imperatrice and Lafayette, both with 24 rooms overlooking Parc La Savane and just a short walk from the ferry dock, have double rooms at $81 during the winter high season. The Lafayette also has one of the island’s top-rated restaurants.

Cuisine at about 50 Fort-de-France restaurants vary from French and Creole at La Baie des Flamands to seafood at Le Mareyreur and La Maree, Italian at Le Meridional, Oriental at Le Viet-Nam and vegetarian at Le Second Souffle. Figure about $30 for a complete dinner at a top restaurant.

For more information about Martinique, contact the French Government Tourist Office, 9454 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 303, Beverly Hills 90212; (213) 271-6665 or (213) 272-2661.