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Interesting Facts
- Martinique's original capital city, St-Pierre, was decimated on May 8, 1902, when Mt-Pelée erupted, killing more than 30,000 residents, sinking ships in the harbor, and leveling nearly the entire town – all in less than five minutes' time. Martican's rebuilt the city and, today, those wanting to learn more about Pelée's monumental eruption can do so at the Musée Vulcanologique in St-Pierre.
- At approximately 420-square-miles, Martinique is the largest island in the Windward chain. At it longest point, Martinique spans 50 miles; meanwhile, its widest section stretches only a little over 20 miles.
- A botanist's dream, Martinique is home to scores of exquisite plants and flowers, a fact that inspired the pre-Columbian Caribs to name it the "island of flowers." Visitors exploring the countryside will be stunned at the veritable explosion of colors that awaits them: hibiscus, poinsettias, bougainvillea, coconut palms, and mango trees. Of course, Martinique's most noteworthy flower is the stunning anthurium, which is the island's national emblem.
- Due to its close proximity to the equator and a seasonally cooling west wind called the alizé, the island averages a rather temperate 80˚ annually, with the September usually standing as the hottest month.
- In 1493, the early Carib people, who were the first in the New World to encounter Columbus, gave the Italian explorer such an unfriendly welcome that he opted not land at Martinique until 1502. Upon reaching shore, Columbus christened the island after St. Martin of tours.
- Martinique cuisine is a hybrid of traditional Caribbean staples and French-inspired cooking techniques. Indeed, stop by one of Fort-de-France's Creole cafés, and you'll likely find a menu showcasing the likes of lobster soufflé, octopus cassoulet, or a cut of fresh fish accompanied by zesty sea urchin sauce.
- Approximately 100,000 people, or more than a third of the island's population, live in the Martiqan capital city of Fort-de-France.
- Dark Martinican rum purports to be the best in the West Indies, and it has been awarded a seal of excellence from the French Government. Visitors to the island are welcome to pay stops by one of the many distilleries located here. Among Martinique's more popular distilleries are Trois Rivières Distillerie, St-James Plantation Distillerie, and Dillion Distillerie.
- Marie-Josphe-Rose Tascher de la Pagerie (Josephine), wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, was born in Martinique in Trois-Ilets, Martinique in 1763. Today, a statue of the empress stands in La Savane, Fort-de-France's largest city park. Of course, when you see it you'll notice that something is missing – vandals relieved the Carrera marble statue of its head. Trois-Ilet's Musée de la Pagerie is housed on her family's old sugar plantation and contains a hand-written letter to Josephine from Napoleon and a few odd and end pieces of her childhood furniture.
- Parrot-heads should recognize the name of this West Indian island from the Jimmy Buffet tune "Off to See the Lizard," which begins: "I as reaised by a maid who came from Martinique / She wore geckos round her neck and bracelets on her feet."
