Saint-Pierre, Martinique Travel Guide

April 30, 2024

|

Cori McCormick

Saint-Pierre, Martinique: The Pompeii of the Caribbean

This was our first stop in Martinique, and it was an interesting one. Located on the northwest side of the island, Saint-Pierre was once the bustling capital of Martinique.

Things to Do in Saint-Pierre, Martinique

1. Mémorial de la catastrophe de 1902

This is a must-see when visiting Saint-Pierre.

On May 8, 1902, Mount Pelée erupted. This mountain sits only about eight miles from Saint-Pierre, so as you can imagine, the impact was catastrophic.

This eruption, one of the deadliest in history, released a pyroclastic surge—a fast-moving cloud of superheated gas, ash, and rock—that engulfed the city within minutes.

Nearly 30,000 people died almost instantly, leaving only three known survivors, one of whom was a prisoner named Ludger Sylbaris, who was protected by his cell.

Saint-Pierre Martinique Volcano Eruption Prison Cell — *Ludger Sylbaris, one of three Saint-Pierre Martinique volcano eruption survivors, and his prison cell*

Saint-Pierre Martinique Volcano Eruption Survivor — *Ludger Sylbaris, one of three Saint-Pierre Martinique volcano eruption survivors, and his prison cell*

Early warning signs, including earthquakes and ash emissions, were largely ignored. The eruption instantly devastated the island’s economy and infrastructure.

The museum houses fascinating displays of melted artifacts and stories about the event. It also features a remembrance wall of those lost that day. It’s an easy walk from the town center and is open 9:00 A.M.–6:00 P.M. daily as of this writing.

2. Zoo de Martinique

The Martinique Zoo is among the top three in the world we have ever been to.

A few highlights included the agile little Tamarin monkeys with their dramatic handlebar mustaches and the capybara, a member of the largest rodent species in the world. These water-loving creatures are very social and huge, weighing up to 200 pounds!

We also saw jaguars, flamingos, giant tortoises, anteaters, birds, and butterflies. The grounds are beautiful and very tranquil. We highly recommend the Zoo de Martinique.

Below is some information about the walk there. You could probably also take a taxi.

Saint-Pierre Martinique walk to the Martinique Zoo — *It’s only about a 20-minute walk, but there are sections with no sidewalks*

3. Manman Dlo

Created by artist Laurent Valère, this 2004 underwater sculpture depicts a mermaid figure. Inspired by the Creole legend of Manman Dlo—a sea spirit embodying both beauty and danger—the sculpture serves as both an artistic masterpiece and an artificial reef, encouraging marine life growth. See the second video below for evidence of this.

This is what was going on inside the head:

We snorkeled it and loved it.

4. Stroll the Town

A stroll through Saint Pierre is well worth it. We paused at the Cathedral Notre Dame de L’ Assomption of Saint-Pierre, the main church in town.

Saint-Pierre Martinique — *At right, Cathedral Notre Dame de L’ Assomption of Saint-Pierre*

5. Appreciate the Art of Francois Piquet

Francois Piquet is a contemporary artist who creates interactive sculptures, site-specific installations, street art, and more, in the Caribbean. He uses humor and experimentation to explore accessible, non-politically correct, and challenging points of view on human relations. You can read more about the totems here.

There are 32 of them in all.

6. Hike up to the Virgin of the Sailors of Saint-Pierre

Installed in 1870 at the top of Morne d’Orange, this statue becomes the subject of special attention on Assumption Day. Marian worship, introduced with colonization, was vigorously encouraged by the Catholic church in the nineteenth century at a time when atheism was developing. Thrown from its base by the volcano eruption in 1902, the statue was replaced in 1920.

The views from this spot are stunning. To see it, take the road that crosses the D1 right (direction Fonds-Saint-Denis) just after the cemetery. At the top, turn right down the road and finish the distance on foot (see below).

Saint-Pierre Martinique walk to Virgin of the Sailors statue

How to walk to the Virgin of the Sailors statue from Saint-Pierre Welcome Center

7. Shop at Marché de Saint-Pierre

You can buy fresh fruits, spices, handmade crafts, and local rum at the open market, Marché de Saint-Pierre. It’s located at the town’s dinghy dock. I’ve heard that the market’s hours are 6:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. daily, but the photo below was taken at 11:00 a.m. on a Thursday, and there weren’t very many vendors that day or, in fact, any of the days we were there. Perhaps this is because it was off-season (April).

Travel Tips for Saint-Pierre, Martinique

French is the official language of Martinique, but many locals also speak Creole. Learning a few basic phrases in French goes a long way. We came across several situations in which locals refused to engage with Google Translate.

The official currency is the Euro (€). Credit cards are widely accepted, but carrying some cash is useful for small vendors.

Customs and Immigration are handled at the Saint-Pierre Welcome Center via a computer kiosk.

Saint-Pierre Martinique Tourism Office — *Saint-Pierre Welcome Center*

Final Thoughts

Saint-Pierre offers a lot in a small area. It’s strollable and chock full of charm and history.

We loved it; in fact, we enjoyed it more than Fort de France.

You can see a map of Saint-Pierre here.

Cori McCormick

Cori is an independent journalist, adventurer, and photographer who is currently sailing around the world full-time with her husband, Roy. She earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Southern California and her master’s degree in communications from California State University, Fullerton. When she’s not exploring new places, she can be found hiking or playing with pothounds.