Saint-Pierre
Once called the “Little Paris of the Caribbean,” it was destroyed by Mont Pelée in 1902. Ruins such as a theater and a prison cell, along with a volcano museum, tell the story of that disaster.
Before 1902, Saint-Pierre was Martinique’s capital and its economic and cultural center, known as the “Little Paris of the Caribbean.” After the Mont Pelée eruption, almost the entire town perished, with virtually no survivors. Today’s town is built on the ruins. Visitors can see the site of the old theater, the prison cell where the survivor Sylbaris was reportedly held, the remains of the old Notre-Dame church, and the Volcano Museum and Disaster Memorial, which display photos of the eruption and melted objects. The bay holds the wrecks of ships that sank that day, making it a famous wreck-diving site. It is about 30 km from Fort-de-France, roughly 45 minutes along the west coast road.
Opening hours
All day; museum about 09:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Zoo de Martinique (Habitation Latouche)
- Habitation Depaz
- Mont Pelée
- Pitons du Carbet
- Gorges de la Falaise
- Anse Couleuvre
- Distillerie J.M
- Sacré-Cœur de Balata