Martinica

Antoine's view

November 1493, on this day Christopher Columbus was less motivated than his usual self, he had not wanted to disembark on the island that was known as the "land of the iguanas" which had gained the reputation of being home to amazonian warriors.Which is why the Caribbean islands were left in peace until the end of the 16th century. Then after having been in territorial dispute with the Dutch, English and French, after a severe conflict Martinique finally fell into the hands of Louis XIV and Colbert who at this time was the french minister of finance.Martinique was a society divided into two castes : one caste, the colonists who at their service were the freed slaves who originated from cross-cultural relationships between white men and black women, on the other, in the plantations, French Occidental slaves forcibly taken from their homes in Africa.Under the French Ancient Regime the island was used as a base during the American War of independence.The creole system founded on rum and sugar cane, was the economic center of the community, sugar was produced using the system developed by father Labat.During these, rich agricultural and prosperous times, Martinique witnessed the birth of Marie-Joseph Pink Tascher from Pagerie, known as Joséphine de Beauharnais, who married Napoleon, both were crowned at Notre Dame de Paris and she became the french emperess.

If the windward islands at the beginning of the 20th century, on May 8, 1902, mount Pelée erupted devastating the wealthy town ofSaint-Pierre -baptized as a "Small Paris" for having such trends as bathrooms - where the thirty thousand inhabitants rich and poor alike were buried under a rain of ash, Cyparis was only saved, by having been thrown in prison by the gendarmes for being drunk and disorderly, his last cry before they locked the cell was injustice....

On the Caribbean coast, the white sandy beaches are numerous, the shoreline is sometimes emerald, sometimes turquoise, depending on the tone of the sky.In the light of the morning, on Bellefontaine beach, the fishermen launch their fishing boats.Above the shores, the freshness of the 'canton Suisse' - and of the pitons of Carbet which are over a thousand meters in altitude reign.The colonial house of Redoute, hidden under the flamboyant, mango and avocado trees still have the capacity to charm. One is seduced right up until the Caravel lighthouse where one can see Galeon, Grandjean,Treasure bay and Diamond rock, often whipped by the Atlantic ocean..