sales guide martinique

mid-December to June. There are schools and sailing
clubs that offer instruction in kitesurfing. Martinique
also offers adventure « hikes » across treetops.
13/ What is a yole ?
This traditional Martinican boat is made of wood, and
generally measures from 23 to 35 feet in length. In
the past, yoles were used as fishing boats. The yole
ronde is a boat with a shallow draft, and without a
keel, ballast, center-board, or rudder. It can carry one
or two sails. When on water, the yole ronde is balanced
through the use of wooden poles that transverse the
craft, sticking out well beyond its side. Crew members
climb out on those poles, riding above the waves. It
is quite a sight. The most important race remains the
Tour de la Martinique des Yoles Rondes, organized
16/ Are there any dangerous animals ?
There isn’t much to fear when it comes to animals.
Because of the tropical climate, you’ll probably come
across some harmless insects and small lizards from
time to time. For instance, there are lizards called anolis
that you’ll see on walls everywhere. You may see a
trap-door spider called matoutou falaise while hiking in
the forest, but they are not deadly. There are snakes in
Martinique, but they live far away from human activity,
and encounters with them are extremely rare.
17/ Can you visit working distilleries ?
Yes, because Martinique produces one of the best
agricultural rums in the world. Since 1996, Martinican
rum’s already high quality has been further guaranteed
by its designation as an ‘’Appelation d’Origine
Controlee» (AOC). The island counts some ten working
distilleries, most of them open to the public. A visit to
these distilleries will help you to understand the work
and skill involved in making sugarcane into sugar.
18/ What are fonds-blancs ?
during the school summer vacations.
14/ Are there many kinds of water
activities ?
Windsurfing, water skiing, Optimist (dinghy) sailing, and
big-game fishing are all done in Martinique. But they’re
not the be-all and end-all. The waters of Martinique are
a great terrain for all kinds of sports and adventures,
so it would be a shame if you didn’t try something a
little more original. Keep in mind that safety standards
in Martinique are as high as they are in France. Some
examples of activities :
- Scuba diving (with air tanks)
- Snorkeling
- Circumnavigating the island
- Renting a sailboat with or without a skipper.
- Riding a Jet Ski
Fonds blancs are areas of coastal waters where the
sediments of sand have accumulated to the point
where they almost emerge above the sea’s surface. As
a result, the water inside the barrier is very shallow,
and so a pleasure to splash about in. The most famous
is the « baignoire de Joséphine » (the bathtub of
Joséphine), located in Le François. Legend has it that
Martinican-born Joséphine de Beauharnais, future
wife of Napoléon, liked to bathe there.
19/ Is Carnival a good time to go to
Martinique ?
Keep in mind that all activity on the island will be
geared towards the four days of Carnival, which are
all holidays. The preparations begin on the Sunday of
the Epiphany, with the election of the queens of the
carnival, and they continue until the eve of the first
Carnival day: Fat Sunday.
15/ Are there any beautiful colonial
houses ?
The most beautiful examples of colonial architecture
are to be found on the old sugar plantations, in the
island’s interior. These « habitations, » as they are
called, were built from the 18th century onwards by rich
plantation owners, so they’re tied to the most somber
period in Martinique’s history: that of slavery. Those
habitations that are open to the public will give you an
idea of what life was like in that era, especially if they
still have their original furniture and decor, as is the
case with the Habitation Clément, Habitation Céron,
Habitation Latouche, Habitation Leyritz and Habitation
Lagrange.
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