This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
Nicknamed the island of flowers, Martinique is full of shores with postcard landscapes, and it is not uncommon to come across Quebecers fleeing the cold season to stock up on vitamin D. Overview of the most beautiful beaches in the south of the island where you can dip your toes in the Caribbean Sea, far from the snow and sleet.
Pointe Marin
This is the ideal beach to take young children to, as the waves are lower than other places. It is not for nothing that Club Med has taken up residence there, to set up its village Les Boucaniers, for which a portion of the shore is reserved.
Several bars and “lolos” (a term used in Martinique to describe small restaurants on the beach) welcome visitors a few steps from the sea. The best cod acras in the area can be found at Paille Bô Kay. For 7 euros (around CA$10), you get 12 of these typical Creole donuts. All topped off with a dog sauce, also known as “Creole sauce”, whose composition is close to chimichurri, slightly spicy and deliciously tasty.
Less than 10 minutes by car (or 30 on foot) is the village of Sainte-Anne, where restaurants and souvenir shops coexist at the marina. To admire the sunset, go to the terrace of the hotel-bar La Dunette, which offers a view of the Caribbean Sea. For a more local experience, head to the Freedom Bar, located in a more remote corner of the shore. Far from tourists, this establishment offers a reggae atmosphere to the sound of which to sip its “ti-punch”, the emblematic cocktail of the West Indies, made from rum, cane syrup and lime. The place is a well-kept secret since the owners do not promote it on social networks. Only a mention on Google Maps indicates its location.
L’Anse Meunier
A rough road of several hundred meters leads to this wild paradise. It is better not to drive there at more than 10 km/h if you want to avoid damaging your vehicle. But going all the way is worth it. The reward ? Crystal clear water and white sand. Several shrubs provide places to rest your towel in the shade, welcome after sunbathing in shallow water.
Nicknamed Anse Moustique because of the “yen-yens” (small midges whose bites may keep you from sleeping!), which are rampant from sunset, this beach is an intimate place par excellence. It is more frequented by residents than by tourists. And for good reason: there are no shops nearby. The place is perfect for a hike of just over two kilometers, where Pointe Catherine and Pointe Pie offer a panorama of the Diamond Rock, which is to Martinique what the Percé Rock is to Gaspésie. From these points of view, the photos are postcard worthy. The vegetation changes midway, swapping deciduous trees for cacti. A few naturists unofficially installed and encountered along the way are not enough to spoil the landscape. At the end of the promenade, one of the most heavenly beaches on the island: Les Salines.
The Saltworks
Very close to Anse Meunier, this beach is the most legendary in the south of the island and is very popular with tourists and Martinicans alike. Its shore extends over 1000 meters of white sand and coconut trees where you can hang your hammock. By observing the flora, you can easily see one or more touloulou crabs, as the locals call them, this red crustacean which hides in the sand when disturbed by humans. This postcard-worthy paradise is divided into three parts: the large Anse des Salines, which is the most important and best-known section, the small Anse des Salines, to the west, and the large land of Salines, to the East. The last two sections are to be preferred for more tranquility. There are also some “lolos” where you can get some sustenance after enjoying the joys of the sea. It is better to go there during the week, when the places are less crowded.
Pointe du Bout
From Fort-de-France, the Pointe du Bout marina, located in Trois-Îlets, on the other side of the bay which bears the same name as the capital, is easily accessible by ferry operated by Vedettes Tropiques. Round-trip journeys are offered for the sum of 7 euros (approximately $10 CA) and allow passengers to sail on one of the prettiest bays in the region. Some will prefer Anse Mitan, a beach which is about ten minutes away on foot. But it is literally at the end of Pointe du Bout that we reach a more intimate cove. There, pelicans are busy catching fish before the eyes of swimmers, with a view of the Martinique capital in the distance.
The place still remains very popular with tourists because of its numerous restaurants and shops. The Creole village remains a little far from the local atmosphere that one feels elsewhere. Those who wish to buy local can nevertheless stop at the shop of the painter Sophen, who immortalizes the fauna, flora and scenes of life of Martinique. Part of the proceeds from sales of original watercolors and numbered editions showing sea turtles are also donated to the restoration plan for this animal in the Antilles.
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.