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Fort De France Cruises, Martinique

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French and Caribbean flavours combine in Martinique’s Fort de France. Here, you can sip rum punch and sunbathe in a palm tree-dotted park, in between shopping for Yves Saint Laurent clothes and touring sites designed by Gustave Eiffel. Vendors shout out their catch of the day – in French – at the Creole market. And in the restaurants, crêpes are served alongside spicy Caribbean chicken.

• You’ll see the Fort St Louis as you come in to port – this 15th-century castle is perched on a headland next to the marina. It’s an active military base, but visitors are allowed in for guided tours. Keep an eye out for the iguanas that roam through the grounds.
• Designed by the man behind Paris’ Eiffel Tower, the Schoelcher Library is one of the city’s most eye-catching buildings. Its colourful exterior is topped by a Byzantine dome. Inside, it’s a bit like a museum, with antique books and furniture on display, while also lending books to the public.
• The Balata Gardens are a complete contrast to the city’s urban centre. Towering trees frame lagoon-like ponds, while hummingbirds flit between rainbow-coloured flowers. Climb to the top of one of the suspended walkways for the best view.

Map of Fort de France

SHORE EXCURSIONS View all excursions

St Pierre & Rum Distillery

This tour mixes local history with the local tipple. And the first stop is Balata Church. Don’t be surprised if this white-domed beauty looks familiar – it’s a scaled-down replica of the Sacré-Coeur in Paris. It’s then onto a rum distillery. You’ll not only get a tour, but a tasting session of Martinique rum. Next up is St Pierre - the Caribbean equivalent to Pompeii. In 1902 over 30,000 people were killed when Mount Pelee erupted. The museum relives the disaster and tells the story of a prisoner who managed to escape death by lava. Finally, there’s a little more history in store. Le Carbet is a small fishing village made famous in 1502 when Christopher Columbus landed here.

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Kayaking Mangroves

Had your fill of sunbathing and swimming? This is one for the more active crowd. You’ll first travel to a nearby islet to pick up your kayaks. And with paddles at the ready, you’ll head off into the quiet mangroves. You’ll be in the water about 40 minutes, gliding under tropical canopies. And red and black mangrove trees sprout from the water. Guides are on hand to make sure you get the most out of the day and help you perfect your technique. Plus there’s plenty of time to chill with a fruit juice, or swim in the sea before taking the boat back to the ship.

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4x4 Adventure

Leaving the ship by 4X4, you’ll thunder through rivers and trundle past banana plantations as you head deep into the rainforest of La Palourde. And it’s no wonder this place is nicknamed the ‘isle of flowers’ - with tropical greenery all around, this is one for wannabe Bear Grylls. After an hour of exploring, there’s time for refreshments and a photo stop. Back in the 4X4, the next stop is a visit to Coeur Bouliki in the heart of the forest. On the way you’ll pass sweeping sugarcane plantations, with valleys and mountains in the distance. There’s plenty of time to take it all in before returning to the ship.

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