discovering the island and its lush vegetation

The island of Madeira is said to have legendary vegetation. Fruits, flowers and trees from all over the world have acclimatized here. They follow the steep terrain of the mountains and shape the landscapes. The island is nicknamed “the floating garden on the Atlantic”. Bananas grow on his terraced crops. This is the main production on the island. Francisco Nobrega, banana producer, harvests them all year round.

Irrigation canals built centuries ago

Madeiran bananas rub shoulders with other exotic fruits at the farmers’ market in Funchal, the capital. Several types of passion fruit are notably offered. In Porto da Cruz, tourists from Angoulême (Charente) walk the steep paths in the north of the island, in search of a little exoticism. If the vegetation in Madeira is so luxuriant, it is thanks in particular to the irrigation canals built centuries ago along the roads, over more than 2,000 kilometers. In Funchal, it is possible to hurtle down the sloping streets aboard a wicker cart used in the 19th century, pushed by the strength of the arms of sleigh drivers.