Oh My Beautiful Madinina!

After some worry over a bout of flu that hit little Leo in recent days, we finally set off on a new trip... for the first time as four, and by plane. In fact, after six years (Turks and Caicos 2008) we're returning to the Caribbean, with the intention of exploring the island of Martinique. The alarm goes off very early, at 3:30, so a bit sleepy, five minutes after 4:00, we leave the house and a quarter of an hour later we get on the highway at Faenza. In the dead of night on this spring, pre-Easter day, traffic is certainly not a problem, so we speed toward Bologna, with Leonardo, wired to the max, thanks to adrenaline, certainly not feeling any tiredness.

We drive almost the entire ring road of the capital of Emilia and at 4:50 we're at Park to Fly leaving the car in the lot, then in a matter of minutes, thanks to the free shuttle, we find ourselves, with our luggage, in front of Guglielmo Marconi Airport. In a short time we complete all the boarding procedures: we check in, go through security and wait at gate number one. As dawn breaks we then complete the process and by 7:00 we're already seated on the Embraer 190 of the Hop! airline, which operates for Air France, and at 7:45 flight AF 1029 lifts off bound for Paris, amid the little one's explosions of joy and wonder, on his first experience of the air. We climb above the clouds of a gray morning and find the sun again... in this way we cross the Alps, then fly over the French countryside and at 8:44 we taste land again on the runway of Charles De Gaulle Airport.

We head straight to collect the luggage, because we'll have to change airports... Suitcases in hand, we then transfer from Terminal G to Terminal F with the help of a shuttle, then look for the bus stop for Orly Airport... We find it and wait there, besieged by the biting Parisian air, which brings us back to temperatures we hadn't been used to for some time. Finally, after various ordeals due to a packed bus, we manage to get on board... It takes about an hour, in the heavy city traffic, to come in sight of the capital's second airport; in fact, right on schedule, we present ourselves in the departures hall of the West Terminal. Here we hand our luggage to the first available desk, then wait for the flight that will take us to Martinique.

Shortly before 1:00 pm the boarding operations begin and at 1:45 the huge Air France Boeing 777-300 taxis on the Orly runway, climbing into the sky with the identifier AF 842, to immediately turn west and toward the Atlantic Ocean. The ocean crossing, though long (more than eight hours), goes smoothly and the little one, thank God, gets through it with the games and cartoons streaming on the video in front of his seat, so, making up six hours of time difference, we happily land in Martinique at 3:58 local time. Martinique, an island of the Lesser Antilles 80 kilometers long and 39 wide, for an area of just over a thousand square kilometers, is a French overseas possession and to all intents and purposes a little piece of Europe in the Caribbean.

Discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1502, the place was originally inhabited by the Caribs (now extinct) and was called Madinina (island of flowers). Over time it then underwent colonization and exploitation of the territory, until becoming, in the 20th century, an exotic tourist destination of international interest. As soon as we disembark we savor the warm mildness of the Martinican climate, then, having safely collected all our luggage, we go to the Europecar desk for the rental car... We complete the necessary paperwork and a little later we get on the shuttle that takes us to pick up the vehicle, while time flies and it's already 5:30 pm, which is the time set for the meeting with whoever is to hand over our apartment.

We pick up a gray Renault Clio (license plate CG 620 YJ), rather battered, and with it, at nearly 6:00 pm, we arrive at the meeting place: the Total gas station in Rivière Salée, a quiet little town in the south of the island... but there's no one waiting for us. With the help of a kind young woman from the service area we make a phone call and shortly after two people of color (husband and wife) show up and gesture for us to follow them. They lead us into the first hills, along secondary roads, up to the apartment that will host us for the entire duration of our stay: La Refuge de la Haut, very simple, but clean and tidy... far from the sea, but with a nice panoramic terrace that stretches as far as the capital Fort de France.

We leave our luggage in the room and immediately run to the nearby supermarket for a providential grocery run, then, after a snack in the open air accompanied by the sounds of nature (which scare the little one a bit), we soon find ourselves between the sheets, at the end of a biblical day of travel... and as of tomorrow: Martinique, here we come!

Jet lag is making itself felt, in fact shortly after 6:00 we're all already awake and lively... too bad, though, that outside there's no beautiful sun shining and big clouds are gathering especially in the northern part of the island, the more mountainous one. We have breakfast and meanwhile assess the situation: today the exploration of the central-eastern coast was planned, but in that area the clouds are abundant, indeed, even above our heads, since it's starting to rain. In the southernmost region, on the other hand, a few patches of clear sky seem to hold out, and there we'll go, turning our plans upside down. Armed with everything we need for the beach, shortly before 8:00 we set off south along road number 5.

Before reaching the sea, however, we make a short detour into the hills of the Montravail Forest to see some petroglyphs made by the Caribs, the island's ancient inhabitants, but, given the total lack of signs, despite our efforts we just can't find them and have to give up. Retracing our steps we thus reach the southern coast of Martinique at Trois Rivière and from there we arrive in the town of Ste. Luce, where we stop at an agency to book a catamaran excursion for next Sunday. At this point, now at mid-morning, we start looking for a beach, while the sun keeps hiding more and more behind the clouds. We stop at Anse Figuier, right at the exit of the town, about which I had good information... indeed it's not bad, though in the shade.

We settle under the palm trees and from there watch the start of a race with Yoles, traditional boats with rectangular sails that replaced the old Gommier (made from the trunk of the rubber tree)... a beautiful and unexpected experience that, amid shouts of encouragement and яркие shades, turned out to be a touch of color in today's widespread grayness. Later I go for a swim with Leonardo anyway, then a bit of sun comes out that lets me take some decent photos... No time to rejoice and, once again, the sky darkens... indeed, it even starts to rain... what a shame! When it stops we eat our sandwiches somewhat annoyed and stay at Anse Figuier... Another beach nearby was on the schedule, but it's really not worth moving. Around 3:00 pm the sky finally opens up and the sun grants us its presence for about an hour... then a sudden downpour forces us to flee and find shelter.

After much back and forth, around 5:00 pm, we raise the white flag and sadly head to the car and then return to the apartment. We'd like to stop for groceries, but it's Easter Sunday and everything is closed... nothing is going right. That means we'll have dinner with the little we have and then, giving in to jet lag, we'll run straight to bed, trying to forget this first inglorious day in Martinique as soon as possible.

During the night it rained several times, then, when the light once again takes over, I cautiously draw back the curtains to find, with bitterness, that the sky is completely grey... And on top of that Federico doesn't look well... he takes his temperature and it mercilessly reads over 38!... The holiday doesn't bode well! We go grocery shopping and then return to the apartment, while every now and then some hateful downpour breaks out, so we don't move and end up all lounging around, while little Leo watches avalanches of cartoons on TV, though in French... After lunch the situation doesn't improve, in fact the thermometer climbs above 39 making things even more complicated... but we don't intend to give up, especially since the sky seems to be clearing towards the south of the island.

Federico takes a double dose of Tachipirina and, with our backpacks ready, shortly after 3:00 pm we set off, even though by then I no longer believed it and I truly feared that this would be the first day of my life as a traveler without taking even a single photo. We drive as far as Ste. Luce, then we pass by the beach where we had stopped yesterday and continue along the coast. At a certain point, however, we turn inland following the signs for Morne Gommier. The road climbs with extremely steep gradients to the top of the hill, up to the 214 meters of a panoramic viewpoint, run by a nice little old man, who would even like to act as our guide, but only in French, so we decline the offer. From up there you take in a good slice of the island... the first beautiful thing since this morning, which we therefore particularly appreciate.

At the end of the visit we head back down feeling quite regenerated, especially in spirit, and immediately resume following the coastline. We pass through the town of Le Marin, the main marina of Martinique... and you can tell from the large number of moored boats, which by their appearance don't exactly look like fishing vessels. From there we then reach the locality of Ste. Anne, to spend some time on its beach, that of Pointe Marin, where the Club Med is also located. The cove, bordered by lovely vegetation, is intriguing and allows us to spend the last part of the day in a positive way, garnished also with a fiery sunset... so in our hearts we hope that all this is just the prelude to a change of course and that from tomorrow the holiday can be decidedly more pleasant.

This morning too grey is the predominant colour in the sky, but rather than compact clouds it looks like a dense haze. Federico downs his dose of Tachipirina and right after we set off trusting in good fortune, also because we're not heading south, notoriously the sunniest place, but rather to roughly the middle of the eastern coast of the island. We take road number 5 and head towards Fort de France, but very soon we find ourselves stuck in a queue due to the congested traffic. So we choose an alternative route, which leads us over a small mountain pass before rejoining the main road that arrives, with a view of the Atlantic Ocean, at the locality of Le Robert. From there we continue north along the coast, while the clouds, fortunately, gradually thin out and before long the sun comes out. This way we first reach the town of La Trinité, then that of Ste.

Marie, where we go to see, on the immediate hills, the original Musée de la Banane... The place is nothing special, but it allows us to follow an appealing route in discovery of the most widespread fruit on the island, first of all educational and then a stroll through a vast estate with over sixty different varieties, including a small and welcome final tasting of the product. Having left the Banana Museum we return to La Trinitè, from where we then venture into the Presqu'ile de la Caravelle, a strange strip of land jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean, partly a nature reserve... We traverse almost all of it, including a modest dirt track that arrives near the Château Dubuc.

On foot we reach the suggestive ruins of an eighteenth-century manor house (a rare thing in the Caribbean region) once inhabited by a certain Pierre Dubuc who, according to legend, made his living from piracy, plundering the ships that he himself had run aground, with false signals, in the bay below... Today not much remains, but the singular story and the panorama are well worth a brief visit. After enjoying a pleasant walk we regain the car as midday has already passed some time ago and shortly after we go in search of a beach, in the vicinity, where we can have lunch and spend the rest of the day, aware of the fact that we are certainly not in the best area of the island beach-wise and that therefore we will have to, in some way, make do. We stop first at Anse l'Étang: pretty and bordered by palms, but with rather rough sea, which certainly doesn't suit little Leo.

Heading back up the Presqu'ile de la Caravelle we skip Anse Tartane, which really doesn't appeal to us, and almost at La Trinité we set off on the trail of the secret Anse des Raisiniers, about which I had some vague indications. After a few attempts, passing through a residential neighbourhood, we find it: small but charming, with calm waters, very few people (only locals) and lovely vegetation... which is just right for us! There we have lunch and spend the whole afternoon, delighted by a decent sea and an equally intriguing setting... then, shortly after 5:00 pm, the sun disappears behind the clouds and we head back home. It certainly wasn't one of those days to remember for posterity, but at least it was a significant reversal of trend regarding the success of the trip, which we now expect to be better every day, even though the fever, undaunted, continues to plague Federico.

Increasingly confident and familiar with Martinique we set off for a new day, with the weather seeming to be merciful. On the agenda is the exploration of the south-western part of the island and from Rivière Salée we quickly reach the locality of Les Trois-Îlets, then the Domaine de la Pangerie, on the immediate hills. The place, an old estate where sugar cane was cultivated, is today a national monument as it was here that Marie Joeph Rose Tascher was born, the woman who would become the wife of Napoleon Bonaparte and thus Empress of France. Not much remains of the golden age because the main residence was completely destroyed by a hurricane and only the stone building (carefully restored) that served as the kitchen has been preserved, inside which you can observe some relics... all in a well-kept and, all in all, significant setting. After the cultural visit we head towards the beach.

Our target is Anse Dufour, located in the westernmost part of this region of Martinique, which we reach after an impressive series of ups and downs. The bay is small, but very beautiful, bathed by transparent waters, the like of which we hadn't yet seen on the island... a shame only about the on-off sunshine, due to an interminable and mischievous trail of cloud bodies, running right over our heads. With Federico I also go to see the adjacent Anse Noire, which unlike Anse Dufour, characterized by a light-coloured shoreline, has a beach of black sand... and it's incredible given that the two bays are separated only by a thin strip of land. Anse Noire, moreover, is the only beach located in the south of Martinique with these characteristics and this makes the thing even more singular.

We take some photos, while a few harmless raindrops also fall, then we return to Anse Dufour to spend the rest of the morning there... so, between bursts of beautiful sunshine and a few too many shadows, we also go exploring with mask and snorkel on the nearby reefs, spotting a few tropical fish and various corals. The intention would also be to have lunch at Anse Dufour, but a horde of micro-ants storms our baguettes and so we are forced to pack up and look for others. We find the essential sustenance items in the nearby locality of Grande Anse d'Arlet, then we go to the adjacent Anse d'Arlet to immortalize one of the most famous views of Martinique, namely that from the pier towards the coast, with the old colonial wooden houses and in the centre the little church of St. Henry, with its characteristic red bell tower, dating back to the eighteenth century: a real picture to frame...

Here we also ascertain that compared to this we like the beach of Grande Anse more, where we return to spend some time. Under the palms we finally have lunch and later we take a pleasant swim in the placid and transparent waters of the bay... in this way the whole afternoon passes quickly. Shortly before 5:00 pm we hit the road again, continuing south along the coastline of this part of the island, and between other hallucinatory ups and downs (with gradients, at times, well over 20%!), we reach Petit Anse d'Arlet. From there, then, we set off to round Pointe du Diamant, with the view sweeping, just offshore, over the famous Rocher du Diamant.

The island in question (uninhabited) is located about three kilometres away and is an enormous basaltic rock 175 metres high, which entered history because it was conquered during the Napoleonic wars by the British Royal Navy, which made it for seventeen months an outpost capable of striking the French ships attempting to enter Fort de France. At the end of countless skirmishes it was then recaptured by the French on 3 June 1805. Immediately after we stop to see the Maison du Bagnard: a tiny wooden house with gaudy colours, built, against the backdrop of the Rocher du Diamant, in the sixties of the last century by the ex-convict artist Medard Aribot, who spent the last years of his life here. Today that small construction, in which it seems impossible that a man could live, is officially considered a national monument.

A few bends away, on the lawn above the cliffs, there is also the Memorial de l'Anse Cafard, the work of the Martinican sculptor Laurent Valer, erected in 1998 on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the abolition of slavery. The monument, also called "Cap 110 Memoire et Fraternité", consists of fifteen enormous white bowed busts, arranged in a triangle and facing the stretch of sea where, in 1830, a ship with its cargo of human merchandise from the Gulf of Guinea tragically shipwrecked... The place is evocative, but given the hour it is now almost entirely in the shadow of the hills behind, so, promising ourselves to return, we head back home. In the end, after a providential grocery run, we retire to the apartment for dinner, ideally shouting to the four winds all our satisfaction for the first truly positive day of the holiday.

The weather still seems rather uncertain, so we decide, for today as well, to stay in the south of the island. First of all, however, we take a step back to yesterday's stop and go to photograph in the sunlight the Maison du Bagnard and the Memorial de l'Anse Cafard, then we head in the direction of the first beach of the day. The area we are heading towards, which we see in the distance, is unfortunately invaded by clouds and we have to hope for a sudden change, which the forecasts, moreover, give as very likely. We cross the entire southern coast of Martinique from west to east and arrive at Le Marin, then we graze Ste. Anne and go further south, towards the extreme tip of this land. Our target is Anse Meunier, reachable via a short dirt track...

but, due to traffic, we arrive late, then the weather conditions are not good, so the place, with rather rough sea, doesn't satisfy us and we go directly to the second beach of the day: that of Grande Anse des Salines, which is considered the best in Martinique. When we stop it is still cloudy, but the sky is gradually opening up and before long the sun comes out. Beautiful beach, Grande Anse des Salines, there's no denying it. Bordered by an uninterrupted backdrop of palms, which gives it the most classic tropical appearance... only the sea we expected to be better, instead it's slightly rough and murky, with a few annoying algae too many. That said, we will still spend the rest of the day on the spot. After a swim and a packed lunch, in the early afternoon, in the company of Federico, who seems regenerated, I go to discover the nearby Savane des Pétrifications.

So we set off on foot to explore the only arid zone of Martinique and geologically the oldest, being the result of very ancient volcanic activity dating back to the Miocene. Here the truly scarce rainfall has meant that the landscape is dotted mainly with shrubs and cacti... The whole thing reaches its maximum expression, on the ocean shore, at Pointe d'Enfer, amid bold cliffs and lands shaped by the elements. We spend some time among the contrasts of colour offered by this place out of time and then return to Grande Anse des Salines to see the evening in. Lazing pleasantly we reach sunset time, when the sun goes beyond the horizon setting the sky on fire, though clouded by a few clouds too many... Then we return to the apartment, putting an end to another decent episode of this holiday, spoiled only by the fever, which in the evening reappears (unexpectedly) in Federico.

The weather forecasts finally seem optimal, so today we will devote to the exploration of the north of the island, which with its peaks is an enormous magnet for the clouds passing nearby. Shortly after 8:00 am we set off from the Refuge de la Haut and after a brief stop at the supermarket we head towards the capital Fort de France. The traffic is heavy and we queue a bit... then, having reached the first city of Martinique, we turn inland following road number 3, which begins to climb in the direction of the mountains. On the first heights we thus stop to see the Church of the Sacre Coeur de Balata, built at the beginning of the twentieth century, to a design by the French architect Wuifflef, who made a scaled-down copy of the more famous namesake Basilica of Montmartre in Paris...

The artistic value of the work is, naturally, quite another thing, but the place is evocative and we enjoy it, between bursts of radiant sunshine and beautiful views (full of haze) over the bay of Fort de France below. Accompanied by the pyramidal outline of the Pitons du Carbet, almost free of clouds, rising above a thousand metres in altitude, we set off along the so-called Route de la Trace, a bold ribbon of asphalt opened by the Jesuits in the seventeenth century, which winds through the Martinican rainforest, and in a short time we reach the Jardin de Balata. The most important and well-known botanical garden of the island was created starting from 1982, thanks to the passion of a certain Jean-Philippe Thoze, who created it around the family house, to open it to the public four years later...

Today that garden has over three thousand species of tropical plants, scattered over the three hectares of the estate. We explore it down to the smallest detail, accompanied by Leonardo, enthusiastic, who improvises as a tour guide, with the map of the place always in hand and the claim of teaching us the right way. The care of the botanical species is impeccable and the tourist route, very well organized, reaches its peak with a vertiginous aerial walk on some rather unstable walkways placed at the tops of the trees, which intimidate Sabrina a little but amuse the rest of the group.

Always accompanied intermittently by the sun (a real rarity around here) we happily reach the exit of the park and shortly after we dedicate ourselves to following road number 3, which, amid infinite series of bends and intriguing panoramas, ventures into the thick forest that characterizes this part of the island. After several kilometres, at the first crossroads we encounter, we turn left along the D1, following the signs for Fonds St. Denis. From there, in a few minutes, we reach a car park at the roadside, from which, with a short walk, we reach the base of the small Saut du Gendarme waterfall... nothing special, but at least a diversion that, if nothing else, served to stretch our legs. Back to devouring the ribbon of asphalt we pass the village of Fonds St.

Denis (considered the most flowery in Martinique) and progressively descending in altitude we arrive at sea level (which here is the Caribbean Sea) at St. Pierre, the old capital of the island, today reduced to a town of about six thousand inhabitants, far from the over thirty thousand it counted at the beginning of the twentieth century, when (on 8 May 1902) Mont Pelée began to erupt, wiping it off the face of the earth in a few minutes... In fact only one survivor was found, a certain Cyparis, who saved himself only thanks to the thick walls of the cell in which he was locked up.

We stop first of all south of the built-up area to capture its most classic view, with the unsettling outline of the volcano behind, then we arrive in the centre to visit the Musée Vulcanologique Franck Perret, which collects some shocking testimonies of the catastrophic eruption, among which the impressive, half-destroyed, bell of the cathedral of the time. We then go to see the ruins of what was once the sumptuous theatre, capable of over eight hundred spectators, and nearby the small, incredible (survival) cell of Cyparis. Meanwhile time flies and, with midday already past some time ago, to have lunch we get back in the car and go north, along the coast, as far as the black and remote Anse Ceron (according to the guidebook, the best in this part of the island). There we find, under the palms, a comfortable table on which to consume our daily picnic by the sea.

In the afternoon we resume the exploration of the north of Martinique as soon as possible. We return to St. Pierre and, taking road number 2 which goes inland, shortly after 2:00 pm we are already at the Distillerie Depaz, one of the oldest and most important in the region, which we intend to visit. Founded in the nineteenth century on the slopes of Mont Pelée and completely destroyed by the eruption of 1902, it was brought back to life and to great acclaim by Victor Depaz in the first half of the last century. Today the place, in full operation, can be explored, so we take advantage of it, observing up close the entire production cycle, which leads the simple sugar cane to transform into Ruhm Agricole of great prestige and quality... an experience that enriches and fascinates everyone: from the youngest to the oldest.

Having taken to the road again we prepare to cross the island, so we pass through Le Morne Rouge, literally at the foot of Mont Pelée, and after countless bends we approach the locality of L'Ajoupa Bouillon, also situated on the slopes of the volcano. Shortly before the built-up area we turn left following the signs for the Gorge de la Falaise. Having reached a car park we stop the car... and here Sabrina and Leonardo stay put (a wise choice) and in the company of Federico I go to discover a suggestive rocky gorge. After a vertiginous descent we reach the bed of a stream which we then begin to climb, accompanied by a local guide.

We traverse a very narrow gorge practically having an exciting canyoning experience, not difficult but nonetheless demanding, between narrow and very high walls, climbing small waterfalls, up to the finale, in a hollow where a resounding waterfall plunges down... then the hard climb back up to the car park... All in about an hour of healthy adrenaline... to try! From L'Ajoupa Bouillon we then reach the Atlantic coast and from there we go further north. We pass the settlements of Basse Point and Macouba, amid immense banana plantations, then we travel the last, extremely winding, stretch of road, complete with an adventurous iron bridge, up to the village of Grand Rivière, where, ideally, Martinique ends. In front of us are severe cliffs and the restless stretch of sea beyond which lies the island of Dominica (which on certain days can be glimpsed on the horizon)...

here our asphalt ends and only a path continues, which in about twelve kilometres leads to Anse Ceron, where a few hours ago we had lunch. Sunset is near. We take a few photos and then we set off on the return journey, which is rather long. We travel the coastal road, which runs along the eastern coast, and about halfway along the island we cut inland, following the signs that shortly before 8:00 pm, with darkness now complete, bring us back to Rivière Salée and our apartment, fully satisfied with the intense day just concluded.

As today is the best moment of the week for the liveliness of the local market, we decide that the time has come to explore the first city of Martinique, Fort de France: an urban agglomeration of ninety thousand inhabitants, equivalent to about a quarter of the entire population of the island, founded in 1635 and becoming the capital after the tragic destruction of St. Pierre, in 1902. For convenience we decide not to go there by car, so as to avoid traffic and parking problems, but by boat, thanks to a service that departs almost hourly from the locality of Pointe du Bout, located less than half an hour from our apartment. We board the 9:15 departure and a quarter of an hour later, having crossed the bay in front of us, we disembark practically in the centre of Fort de France. From the pier we then set off on foot, going to begin the visit from the Cathedral of St.

Louis, one of the most famous and historic monuments of the city... The first church was in fact built in this place in 1657, but it was in 1895 that the current complex was erected, structurally designed in steel (to withstand the most violent cataclysms) by none other than Gustave Eiffel and architecturally, in Neo-Byzantine style, by Pierre-Henri Picq. The façade, which we immortalize, overlooks a picturesque little square, while the interiors, due to a religious service, are not currently viewable... but we will return. Walking through the streets of the centre we thus arrive at the enormous iron structure, also by Pierre-Henri Picq, which houses the Grand Marché... a characteristic market of spices, fruit and vegetables, which however turns out to be excessively touristy.

Having emerged from the colourful stalls of the Grand Marché we arrive on the banks of the Canal Levassor, spanned by the arch structure of the Passerelle Gueydon, which practically marks the edge of the city core towards the west, and from there, after an obligatory stop at a pharmacy (which surprises us for its low prices, compared to what we are used to) we approach the fish market: rather meagre and anything but unmissable. Returning towards the centre we then observe the neoclassical Hotel de Ville, former town hall now a theatre, then the old Palace of Justice, an interesting early twentieth-century building, but also, from the same era, the monumental Prefecture, flanked in turn by a historic building of the colonial era.

Continuing the exploration of Fort de France we shortly afterwards arrive in front of another work by the architect Pierre-Henri Picq, perhaps the most original: the Bibliotheque Schoelcher, an eclectic-style construction built in Paris on the occasion of the Universal Exposition of 1889, then dismantled, transported by sea and reassembled here... We also briefly visit the interiors, before crossing Rue de la Liberté and reaching the park of La Savane opposite. In the largest green lung of the city stands a statue of Josephine Bonaparte, some time ago decapitated and smeared with red paint. Since then nothing has been done to restore it, confirming the low regard of the Martinicans for their most famous fellow countrywoman.

In the vicinity we also dedicate some time to the small Musée Departemental d'Archéologie, which houses an interesting collection of Amerindian artefacts, then we return to the Cathedral of St. Louis to discover its interiors: very original and appealing... Here the visit to Fort de France ends, just in time to board the 12:00 ferry, which in a handful of minutes takes us back to Pointe du Bout. We check out the local beach and then return to the apartment to have lunch and gather all the gear for beach life. At 2:30 pm we hit the road again. We go to see the bay of Anse a l'Ane, also located on the promontory west of Rivière Salée, but it doesn't convince us, so we fall back on Pointe du Bout... there the beach is beautiful and the water transparent and calm, a shame only about a nearby concrete eco-monster (and in ruins), but also about some unsightly artificial rocks.

Anyway, in complete tranquillity and also opening a coconut found yesterday at Grand Rivière, we pleasantly see the evening in and only leave at sunset time, concluding another decent day, of a holiday finally back on the right track.

Today is the chosen date for a catamaran excursion among the islets scattered along the eastern coast of Martinique and, according to forecasts, we will also be blessed with good weather! Shortly after 8:00 am we set off from the Refuge de la Haut in the direction of the capital, then cross the island and arrive on the opposite side at the locality of Le François, from whose marina our catamaran will set sail. Having reached the meeting point we meet lots of other people waiting (but, apparently, no other Italians): Les Ballades du Delphis, in fact, is one of the most renowned day mini-cruises on the island. For this reason three boats moor at the pier in front of us, one after another, and after some formalities we board the third in order of arrival, but the first to depart.

With Leonardo overflowing with adrenaline, shortly after 8:30 am, we set sail and once out of the port we head into the waves, which sometimes splash and amuse some of the passengers... Then the crew hoists the sail and the catamaran follows a calmer course, which in a short time takes us to Ilet Loup-Garoup: a tiny strip of land with a few bushes and only two coconut palms... the classic puzzle-humour island. After the quick stop on Ilet Loup-Garoup we turn the bow west and placidly ploughing the Atlantic waves we come in sight of the much larger and more luxuriant Ilet Chancel. We anchor in the roadstead and then disembark on the island for a quick visit to some ruins from the last century, but above all to go in search of the numerous specimens of harmless iguanas that populate the place.

Having got back on board we cover a short stretch of sea to Ilet Madame: another islet, bordered on its western side by a stupendous lagoon... So we enjoy an unforgettable swim, before getting back on board for lunch and then returning, as soon as possible, to the water to literally revel in the place... to say the least fantastic! In the early afternoon we set sail from Ilet Madame and in less than an hour of pleasant sailing we reach, between the islands of Oscar and Thierry, the so-called Baignoire de Josephine (Josephine's Baths): a stretch of sea characterized by shallow and transparent waters, in which we enjoy a final memorable swim, accompanied by intoxicating rhum punch... a worthy epilogue to an exciting experience along the east coast of Martinique. Shortly before 5:00 pm we disembark satisfied at Le François, putting an end to the little nautical adventure...

but it's too early to return to the apartment, so we go a little further north along the coast, almost to the locality of La Trinité, to the beach of Anse des Raisiniers, where we had been a few days ago... there the sea is not exceptional, but the place is pleasant and we enjoy it until evening. On the way back we then gather the last rays of a sun that we had somewhat missed at the beginning of the holiday and a little later we conclude what can be said, to all intents and purposes, to be the best day since we left.

After the catamaran excursion the feeling of home starts to set in, even though there are still almost three full days to go before the epilogue. The weather is now consistently oriented towards fair conditions and today we will go to the south of the island, for another slice of holiday of a completely beach-oriented nature. Travelling roads now familiar we reach the locality of Le Marin and from there we continue towards Ste. Anne, where however we do not arrive. In fact we turn off a few kilometres earlier on the left, following the signs for Cap Chevalier. Around 9:00 am we are thus at the seaside, where the road ends and there is a pier from which the boats of the Taxi-Cap depart for the opposite Ilet Chevalier, a little piece of land just off the south-eastern coast of Martinique.

At the ticket office we thus buy the tickets needed for the crossing and a handful of minutes later we disembark, practically the first of the day, on the islet, with only the embarrassment of choice as to the best spot to set up camp. The main bay is a fantastic crescent of light sand, bathed by a placid and transparent lagoon and bordered by palms... With Leonardo I also go to see the secondary beach, which doesn't compare, and so we return definitively to the marvellous and predominant natural stage of Ilet Chevalier, where we spend unforgettable hours, delighted by sunbathing and splendid sea. We have lunch on the spot, while a boatload of excursionists also lands, which takes nothing away from the tranquillity and beauty of the cove.

In the early afternoon, as planned, we have ourselves taken by boat to the departure pier and from there we move, just a very short distance, to the nearby Anse Michel which, immersed in a magnificent palm grove, is bathed by a stupendous sea, very scenic and crystal-clear... only, to be fussy, we can register the presence of a rather stiff and annoying breeze. We spend pleasant hours at Anse Michel too, which however, facing east, soon ends up in the shadow of the thick vegetation behind it and forces us, earlier than usual, to head back home. Thus concludes another tranquil chapter of this Martinican holiday, delighted by places worthy of its reputation.

Last full day to spend in Martinique... and places left to see now reduced to almost nothing. We still have to explore the Habitation Clement, one of the most important and typical estates of the colonial period, in the era when everything revolved around sugar cane and rum. We set off at the usual time from the Refuge de la Haut and less than an hour later we are, near Le François, at the Habitation Clement: the only place of its kind entirely open to the public on the island. The habitation, in its Creole definition, is the combination of an agricultural and industrial property, so, around the master's villa develop the landed properties destined for the cultivation of cane and all the equipment necessary for its processing, aimed at obtaining the prized rum. We dedicate ourselves to the visit scrupulously, following the map provided at the entrance of the site...

We thus see the luxuriant gardens, the old machinery and the historic distillery, then the large stacks of barrels with the rum ageing inside, finally the Clement residential complex, starting from the so-called Treasurer's Hut, where the estate was economically administered and where on 14 May 1991 the then presidents of the United States and France (George Bush senior and François Mitterand) met for an important international summit on the sidelines of the Gulf War, then all the rest of the outbuildings and the villa, a splendid testimony and fulcrum of the entire complex. Mid-morning we leave the Habitation Clement and go south along the coast in search of a beach that can satisfy our needs. The target is Pointe Faula, near the town of Le Vauclin, and there we arrive around 11:30 am.

The place is very particular, with a beach bordered by palms where the grass almost reaches the waves and the sea that for metres and metres is a thin veil of water. From here you can walk among the waves until you reach a transparent lagoon located at a certain distance from the shoreline... very original... a shame only that it isn't suitable for a child and that several algae lie on the shore, whose exhalations certainly don't encourage you to stay... After some (obligatory) photos we thus decide to change beach. We go further south and having reached Le Marin our intentions would be to reach the remote beach of Cap Macré, but, given its orientation, I fear finding wind and rough sea... better not to risk it, given that the morning has already flown by... so we abandon the ocean and head towards the much more placid Caribbean Sea. We follow the coastal road in the direction of Ste.

Luce and after a few kilometres we stop at Pointe Borgnesse, a small beach bordered by thick vegetation that we had skipped during the first Martinican day, due to bad weather. The place is nice, even though a few clouds too many spoil the party a bit. When, however, the sun lights up the magical colours of the sea in front of us we can enjoy, repeatedly, pleasant seaside moments... until evening and until the last fiery sunset on the island. With darkness advancing we then return to the apartment and later we begin to sadly pack our bags, in view of the return journey, scheduled to start tomorrow afternoon.

So the day of departure has also arrived, but considering that this will only happen in the evening, the day ahead of us will be an almost normal one, to be spent on the beach that we liked more than all the others on the island of Martinique. At the usual time we go once again towards the south, as far as the built-up area of Le Marin and from there we go to see the last stretch of sand planned in our itinerary, which we had deliberately skipped yesterday: that of Cap Macré. We reach it after several ups and downs and the last metres on foot to admire a wide cove, rather wild and also bathed by a beautiful sea, but quite rough, as I suspected, and beaten by the wind... We take the requisite photos and then retrace our steps going straight to the pier for Ilet Chevalier... In fact it is precisely there that we have decided to spend the last hours of beach life in Martinique.

The place, certainly graceful and pleasant, is ideal for enjoying, in complete tranquillity, swims in limpid sea and warm sun. We have lunch under the palms and in no time at all it is 3:00 pm: the time agreed with the Taxi-Cap boatman for the return... but in perfect Caribbean style he is late and we only weigh anchor from Ilet Chevalier at 3:30 pm... then, after another half hour of driving, we are at the apartment to take a shower and sort out the last things. We also have a snack, in anticipation of the inconveniences awaiting us, and shortly after 6:00 pm we leave the Refuge de la Haut, which has worthily played its role, at a more than reasonable price. At 6:30 pm we are at Europecar handing back the rental car, with which we have covered, wandering around the island, 1004 kilometres, then, with the shuttle, we reach the Aime Cesair International Airport.

Having reached the departures area we print our boarding passes at the electronic check-in and shortly after we check in our luggage... Then we pass through security checks and wait for flight AF 847 at gate number six. After about an hour the boarding operations begin, which drag on longer than expected, and the Air France Boeing 777-300 lifts off with a forty-minute delay, at 9:55 pm. As soon as it has gained altitude we leave Martinique behind in the darkness and prepare for the Atlantic crossing... I also move the hands of my watch forward by six hours and in an instant it is...

The night slips by in a flash and the lights of dawn already welcome us in the middle of the Atlantic. Everything goes smoothly and at the expected time the descent towards Paris Orly Airport begins, where we land at 11:13 am. We collect our luggage, then we set off in search of the bus terminal for the transfer to Charles de Gaulle Airport. Despite the delay, due to a moto-taxi strike that blocked traffic for a while, at 1:40 pm we are already at the first airport of the capital... but we are not in a hurry as we had planned, to while away the time, a quick trip to the historic centre of Paris, but it is raining heavily and it's really not worth it. Once the suitcases are checked in, the biggest problem will thus be to be patient until the departure of the next flight, scheduled for 8:30 pm.

The wait is interminable and fortunately Leonardo finds other children and gets by in a free play area complete with a Play Station. Almost perfectly on time the AF 1028 flight of the Regional company, which operates for Air France, takes off when it is 8:40 pm. The Embraer 190 aircraft rises above the bad weather and there, despite it already being evening, we find the sun again and sail calmly towards our dear Italy. At 9:59 pm we land at Bologna's Marconi Airport and an hour later we have already collected our car at Park to Fly and taken the motorway in the direction of home, where we happily arrive at 11:35 pm. Leonardo is soon in the world of dreams and we follow, with our heads