WELCOME Martinique covers 1,128 km². People think they can see everything in three days, then spend the week on the road. This itinerary splits the island into seven coherent days, with the real drive times and the hours to avoid — the ones we give our customers at the counter every day.
Drive times from the airport
The first thing to pin down, because everything else follows from it. From Aimé Césaire airport, at Le Lamentin:
| From Aimé Césaire airport | Drive time |
|---|---|
| Fort-de-France | about 15 minutes |
| Les Trois-Îlets and Anse Mitan | about 30 minutes |
| Le Diamant | about 35 minutes |
| Sainte-Anne and Les Salines | about 45 minutes |
| Saint-Pierre (via the Caribbean coast) | about 50 minutes |
And one rule that holds for the whole week: the ring road between Le Lamentin and Fort-de-France is the island's only real bottleneck. It is busy between 7am and 8.30am, then between 4pm and 6pm on weekdays. The rest of the network flows well.
Three things to know before you take the wheel
Speed limits. 90 km/h maximum on the island, on the faster sections of the ring road and the motorway. 50 km/h in built-up areas, often 30 km/h in the villages.
The type of car. A small city car is enough everywhere: every tourist site is reachable in an ordinary car. The roads in the north are narrow and winding, never impassable. An SUV brings loading comfort and ground clearance, not extra access.
The north and the south are not visited on the same day. The beaches are in the south, the volcano and the history in the north, the forest in the centre. Alternating between the two every day means spending your week on the road.
The day-by-day itinerary
Day 1 — Arrival and the Grand Sud
Pick up the car and head south. From the airport, allow about 45 minutes to Sainte-Anne and Les Salines. If you land in the early afternoon, you have plenty of time for a first swim before sunset, then dinner in Sainte-Anne.
One tip that holds for the whole week: Les Salines is for before 9am on a weekday. After that, in high season, the car park and the beach fill up fast. So keep it for another morning and settle for a nearby beach on this first day.
Day 2 — The Caribbean coast and the Rocher du Diamant
Head for Les Anses-d'Arlet, with its church right at the water's edge and sea turtles two metres from the shore — one of the most accessible snorkelling spots on the island. Come early: the turtles are seen in the morning, and the crowds build quickly.
Carry on to the Rocher du Diamant, a listed historic monument, and finish at Le Marin, facing one of the largest marinas in the Caribbean. Allow about 2h30 of driving over the day, stops not included.
Day 3 — The Route de la Trace
The crossing of the island through the interior, in the rainforest. The road is narrow and winding — it can be done in an ordinary car, but drive slowly.
Set aside the whole day: the Jardin de Balata, Le Morne-Rouge, and the viewpoints over the forest. This is the nature day of the week, the one that contrasts most with the beaches of the south.
Day 4 — The Caribbean north and Saint-Pierre
Drive down the north coast to Le Carbet, then Saint-Pierre, the former capital destroyed by the 1902 eruption. Volcanology museum, ruins of the theatre, the prison cell, shipwrecks for divers. The atmosphere of the place is unique.
The return to Fort-de-France along the Caribbean coast takes 45 minutes to an hour, running past Le Carbet and Bellefontaine and their black sand beaches, almost deserted on weekdays.
Day 5 — Climbing Montagne Pelée
The active day. Leave Fort-de-France between 6am and 6.30am: the summit clouds over almost every day in the late morning, and dozens of visitors climb at 10am only to see a wall of white. In high season and at weekends, the car park at the trailhead is full before 9am.
Allow 3 to 4 hours there and back to the refuge for 1,397 metres of altitude and a 360° panorama over the island. On the way back, Le Morne-Rouge joins Saint-Pierre via the N2 in about twenty minutes — it is the obvious historical complement: you have just seen what destroyed the town.
Day 6 — The rum route and the Caravelle
Three distilleries and a peninsula. From Fort-de-France, Habitation Saint-Étienne at Gros-Morne is about 35 minutes away; Saint James at Sainte-Marie is 30 minutes from there; Habitation Clément at Le François is 40 minutes further down the east coast.
Finish with the Caravelle peninsula: a listed nature reserve, the ruins of Château Dubuc (an hour's walk) and Tartane beach on the Atlantic side. Back to Fort-de-France in about 40 minutes via the Le Lamentin road — but avoid setting off between 4pm and 6pm, when the ring road is busy.
Day 7 — Market, beach and departure
The covered market in Fort-de-France for spices, rum and crafts, then the beach of your choice before returning the car.
If your flight leaves in the morning, plan ahead: the ring road is jammed between 7am and 8.30am. For a dawn flight, leave before 6.30am.
The six sites not to miss
- Les Salines Listed beach
1.5 km of white sand, coconut palms and water at 28 °C, regularly ranked among the most beautiful beaches in France. The right moment: Before 9am on a weekday. - Les Anses-d'Arlet Village & snorkelling
Church at the water's edge and sea turtles two metres from the shore. The right moment: The turtles, early in the morning. - Saint-Pierre History & diving
Former capital destroyed in 1902: volcanology museum, ruins, shipwrecks. The right moment: Museum free on Sundays. - Le Rocher du Diamant Views & legend
Listed historic monument, snorkelling around the rock and sunset from the beach. The right moment: At the end of the day. - La Montagne Pelée Hiking · UNESCO
1,397 m, 3 to 4 hours there and back to the refuge, 360° panorama over the island and the neighbouring islands. The right moment: Set off before 7am. - The Caravelle peninsula Nature reserve
Listed reserve, ruins of Château Dubuc (1 hr walk) and Tartane beach on the Atlantic side. The right moment: Château Dubuc.
Where to eat
Five places we recommend to our customers, from the rum bar to the fine-dining table.
- Le Zest Bar Fort-de-France · Lounge & rum bar
Teak terrace facing the bay, Creole cooking with a twist and a fine selection of rums. View over the port and the marina. - Zanzibar Le Marin · Waterfront
Facing one of the largest marinas in the Caribbean. Creole fusion cooking and sunset over the sailing boats. - Le Zandoli Les Trois-Îlets · Fine dining
Perched above the bay of Fort-de-France, smart, creative Creole cooking. Booking essential. - La Baraqu'Obama Sainte-Luce · Grilled fish
A local institution right at the water's edge: catch of the day and grilled lobster depending on what comes in. - Le Shell's Case-Pilote · Beach bar
A terrace perched in a tree, feet in the sand of the northern Caribbean coast.
What the guidebooks don't tell you
A health problem: the airport medical centre
GPs and emergency doctors, open every day of the year, from 6am to 11pm (from 8am on Sundays): general practice consultations and minor emergencies — wounds, sprains, burns. There is a pharmacy right next door, open until 10pm.
It is in the terminal of Aimé Césaire airport, on the upper floor: at the top of the escalator on the right, second corridor on the left, past the pharmacy. Telephone: 05 96 42 16 16.
Walk-in consultations are taken in order of arrival and the place is in high demand: arrive early in the morning to keep the wait down. In a serious emergency, call SAMU 15 or 112.
Food shopping
Most supermarkets open Monday to Saturday from about 8am to 8pm, and on Sundays in the morning only, until 12.30pm. Worth remembering for the weekend.
The handiest ones depending on where you are: Carrefour Génipa at Ducos, the largest on the island, on the road south; E.Leclerc La Galleria at Le Lamentin, ten minutes from the airport; Carrefour Dillon in Fort-de-France; Caraïbe Price at Les Trois-Îlets, which opens as early as 7am; Carrefour Market at Le Marin; and Carrefour Express at Sainte-Luce for a top-up near the southern beaches.
When to go
From December to April, the dry season: this is high season. The air sits around 26 °C, up to 32 °C in summer, and the sea stays between 26 and 28 °C all year round.
From June to November, the hurricane season scares off some of the visitors — often wrongly. Prices are far lower, the beaches almost deserted, the vegetation at its peak and the waterfalls spectacular. The real issue is the showers and the weather alerts, which we set out in our page on the hurricane season (in French).
Our cars come with fully comprehensive insurance and unlimited mileage included. Pick-up in Fort-de-France, at the port or at the airport — a 3-minute walk from the terminal exit.
See availability & pricesFrequently asked questions
Do you need to hire a car to visit Martinique?
Yes, in practice. Public transport serves neither Les Salines, nor Montagne Pelée, nor the Caravelle peninsula, and connections between villages are rare away from the main routes. Without a car, the island shrinks to Fort-de-France and a few organised excursions.
How many days do you need to tour Martinique?
Seven days let you see the south, the Caribbean coast, the Route de la Trace, Saint-Pierre, Montagne Pelée and the Caravelle peninsula without rushing. Under five days, you have to choose between the north and the south.
What are the drive times from Aimé Césaire airport?
Allow about 15 minutes for Fort-de-France, 30 minutes for Les Trois-Îlets and Anse Mitan, 35 minutes for Le Diamant, 45 minutes for Sainte-Anne and Les Salines, and 50 minutes for Saint-Pierre via the Caribbean coast.
Which hours should you avoid on the road?
The ring road between Le Lamentin and Fort-de-France is the island's only real bottleneck. It is busy between 7am and 8.30am, then between 4pm and 6pm on weekdays. For an early flight or a morning outing, set off ahead of time.
Do you need a 4x4 in Martinique?
No. Every tourist site is reachable in an ordinary car. The roads in the north are narrow and winding, but surfaced. A small city car is enough; an SUV mainly brings loading comfort and ground clearance on the small roads.
What is the best time for a road trip in Martinique?
From December to April, the dry season. The air sits around 26 °C and the sea between 26 and 28 °C all year round. From June to November, prices are far lower and the sites much quieter, at the cost of more frequent showers.
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