Travel to Martinique with travel insurance from Essential Travel

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Information on Martinique with travel insurance from Essential Travel

Travel to Martinique

Martinique, part of France since it was colonised, apart from a few short years under British rule, is known as the jewel of the French Caribbean It lures visitors with its tranquil resorts, fascinating history, dramatic volcanic landscape, spectacular coastal scenery and wide variety of outdoor recreational activities. It is also the most developed, prosperous and cosmopolitan of the Windward Islands.

Martinique’s northern region rises 1,500 metres from the sea to form the volcano of Mt Pelée. The highlight of any tour of the island is the former capital of St Pierre, destroyed by Mount Pelée’s eruption in 1902. The blackened ruins of ‘Little Pompeii’ include the theatre, the Quartier du Figuier, and the town jail where the sole survivor of the disaster was imprisoned at the time.

The northern section of the island is relatively untouched by modern development, and the beaches at Anse Couleuvre and Presqu’Ile Caravelle, as well as the fishing villages of Grand ’Riviere and Tartane, are great places to get away from the crowds that plague the south.

South of Mt Pelée, there is a mountain range covered in thick rainforest extending south almost to the new capital of Fort-de-France. This is a great base for exploring the island, with its charming waterfront quarters and scenic Baie des Flamands.

To the south lie Martinique’s renowned beach resorts of Pointe-du-Bout, Anse-a-L’Ane, Diamant, St Anne and Les Salines, all of which boast white sandy beaches, warm waters and an assortment of water sports such as swimming, snorkelling, diving and boating.

The east coast of Martinique, remains relatively unvisited by tourists and is perfect for exploring. Discover the quaint coastal towns and villages of St Marie, Le Robert and Le Francois, or venture on to the picturesque Caravelle Peninsula for stunning views of the Atlantic.

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