Martinique's Route de la Trace: From Fort-de-France to Grand Rivière

Martinique's Route de la Trace (trail route) is a scenic drive through the interior rain forest from Fort-de-France to the Atlantic coast. It is called the trail route because it follows a twisting path cut through the vegetation by Jesuit priests in the 1700s. If you can’t make it to Dominica’s wild and wonderful forest, this is the next best thing.

Balata

Pick up N3 and head through the hills north of the capital toward the town of Balata. After driving about four miles, you’ll see the Eglise de Balata, a very close copy of the famous Basilica of Sacre-Coeur, Blessed Heart Cathedral, on Montmartre in Paris. The view back toward Fort-de-France is as interesting as the domed church, whose main draw is its familiar image in a foreign location.

As you head north again, look for Halte Panoramique, where you can have a drink and see the glorious views of the Pitons du Carbet, the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. The viewing area is on the estate of Habitation La Liot.

An abundance of rain makes Jardin Balata () a lush, green wonderland. It’s not large, but allow at least an hour to stroll slowly through the tropical gardens surrounding a pretty Créole house furnished with interesting antiques.

All signs are in French, but it doesn’t matter – you’re here to enjoy the relaxed beauty. The gardens are open every day.

Saint-Denis

The drive north of the garden follows N3 into the mountains to an elevation of almost 2,000 feet. Then you wind back down to an outstanding gorge cut by the Rivière Blanche. Stop for a rest or short walk into the forest at Site de l’Alma. About 2½ miles farther on, you will come to a place called Deux-Choux (two cabbages), and a chance to take a great detour. Turn west on D1 toward Fond-Saint-Denis. You’ll go through a tunnel, then see a sign at the side of the road indicating the Jesuits Trail.

As you enter Fond-Saint-Denis you will be overwhelmed by flowers. The village itself is small and not particularly notable, except for the flowers. They are everywhere.

Cruise through the charming village and notice the church and its cemetery that stand on a hill surrounded by flowers. Allow enough time to visit the observatory, Observatoire du Morne des Cadets, which is signed to the south off D1. Here, you can take in the view of Mont Pelée and the Pitons. Then turn back to the Route de la Trace and continue north to Morne Rouge, the red hill.

Morne Rouge

The village of Morne Rouge is on a 1,500-foot morne near the slopes of Mont Pelée. It was destroyed by another eruption months after the catastrophe at Saint-Pierre, and the church is an important site for Catholics. Each year, on August 30 (the date on which 1,500 people were killed by the volcano’s eruption in 1902), islanders make a pilgrimage to the church to pay homage to the Virgin Mary while kneeling before a beautiful statue that was made in Normandy, France, Notre Dame de la Délivrance.

Ajoupa-Bouillon

Now it’s time to vote for the town with the most flowers. You’ve seen gorgeous Fond-Saint-Denis – now you will enter Ajoupa-Bouillon. The flowers, of course, are magnificent, and you’ll want to drive around the village and perhaps stop at the little Baroque church, Eglise de l’Immaculée-Conception. However, the natural sites demand the most attention.

Gorges de la Falaise is a park about a mile outside of the village in the direction of Saint-Pierre. It has a trail leading to a terrific waterfall.

Another natural site worth visiting is Les Ombrages (), north of Ajoupa-Bouillon on the east side of N3. Here, a trail leads through wild, thick, jungle-like foliage along a gorge, then opens out into a nice botanical garden. Farther along the trail, you will come to the ruins of an old sugar mill and rum distillery. The botanical garden is open daily.

Signs advertising La Maison de l’Ananas (the pineapple house) are posted along the highway, so you’ll have no trouble finding this attraction. Actually, you’ll see sugarcane and bananas as well as pineapples growing in the rich volcanic soil when you take the 50FF/8.33EU/$7 tour in a 4x4 vehicle. The commentary is French, but you may enjoy the ride and learn something from seeing the plantation up-close.

Basse-Pointe

Shortly before you reach the coast, N3 intersects with N1, which runs along the Atlantic side of Martinique. Turn left onto N1 and go north toward Basse-Pointe, the village where Aimé Césaire was born.

Stop at Plantation de Leyritz, the 18th-century estate where US President Gerald Ford met with British Prime Minister James Callaghan, West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt and French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing in 1976. The plantation is now a hotel and restaurant as well as a major tourist attraction.

Visitors tour the unrestored manor house with its original furniture, the rum distillery and the sugar mill, which has a preserved paddlewheel. The best part, however, is strolling around the attractive parklike grounds. Be sure to visit the doll museum, Musée des Poupées Végétales, which is inside the gift shop. Here, artisan Will Fenton displays his craft of fashioning Victorian-style dolls from dried plants.

There’s really no need to stop in the towns of Basse-Pointe and Macouba (see Route de Rhum for information on the rum distillery at Macouba) on your way to Grand Rivière, except for the spectacular views. If you do go on to the end of the road, notice the fishermen’s houses on the cliffs directly above the sea in Grand Rivière.

Grand Rivière

The beach at Grand Rivière is popular with surfers, but the waves are usually too strong for swimming. A 10-mile trail beginning on the left just before the beach goes through the rain forest all the way to a beach near Le Prêcheur on the west coast. Since it takes about six hours to hike one way, you may want to go just a short distance to see the wonderful views. Another idea is to grab a ride on one of the fishermen’s boats to a beach near the trail’s end, then hike back to your car in Grand Rivière.