Martinique is slice of France set in the tropics. Zouk music heard from bars and nightclubs will remind you, however, that the island has a culture of  its own based on West Indian Creole traditions. Martinique also carries traces of African and Hindu.

Martinique offers almost everything except golf – there’s only one course on the island. Water sports are ample, including diving, sailing, deep sea fishing, parasailing, jet skiing, and windsurfing.  There is plenty of gorgeous sunshine and the beaches range from secluded strips to crowded, topless beaches much like the south of France.

There is a wildearray of department and specialty stores. The capital, Fort-de-France, is majestic, with the imposing St. Louis Cathedral and the Schoelcher Library, which was moved to Martinique piece by piece after the Paris exposition in 1889.

Outside the city, the cloud-shrouded summit of Mont Pelee offers spectacular sightseeing as does Saint-Pierre, the tiny town at its base (known as Little Paris), which was destroyed when the volcano erupted in 1902 killing all but one inhabitant.

The official currency of Martinique is the Euro, however U.S. dollars are also widely accepted.

Holiday rentals from owners in Martinique bookable safely on-line.