FESTIVALS, HOLIDAYS AND OTHER ANNUAL EVENTS IN Fort de France

There are a number of festivals, holidays and other events celebrated in Martinique each year. The main ones are listed below.

In Fort-de-France, Carnival is an occasion for four days of jubilation. Locals don costumes and parade in the streets. The city centre thus becomes a gigantic touring show.

On the first of May, it is customary to offer a sprig of lily-of-the-valley to close ones. Many vendors occupy the pavement on that occasion!

Commemorates the Allied victory in Europe that ended World War II on this day in 1945. Various ceremonies are held around town.

Also celebrated internationally as World Music Day, for this festival many free concerts featuring all types of music are held in the streets of Fort-de-France and at various venues around Martinique.

This holiday celebrates both the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789, the key event marking the beginning of the French Revolution. It plays as a symbol of the end of the privileges enjoyed by the clergy and the aristocracy. Festivities include a fireworks display set off from the beach in front of the Caribbean Sea. Wonderful!

This celebration, still very popular in Martinique, is marked by the faithful with several religious ceremonies.

Drawing more than 2,000 professional and amateur competitors from around the world, this much-anticipated annual event also offers a festive atmosphere: pre-dawn warm-ups are accompanied by the sounds of hand drums. Additional highlights include demonstrations of roller-skating and other fitness pursuits as well as folk and hip-hop dancing.

On both days, candles placed on graves fill all of the cemeteries with light. Families gather to pay their respects and clean the gravestones of their departed loved ones. Prayers and conversations continue into the evening.

On this day, citizens gather at war memorials to commemorate the signing of the 1918 Armistice officially bringing an end to the First World War. In Martinique, commemorations focus on the intergenerational transmission of memory, with ceremonies attended by many schoolchildren.

On the night of December 31^st, the atmosphere is particularly festive on the streets of Fort-de-France, with families and friends celebrating the new year.

CLIMATE AND WEATHER IN Fort de France

Month	Min. Average Temperature (°C/F°)	Max. Average Temperature (°C/F°)	Average Rains (MM)	Best Time to Travel
January	21/70	28/82	96/3.8	Good period to go
February	21/70	29/84	68/2.7	Good period to go
March	21/70	29/85	59/2.3	Good period to go
April	22/72	30/86	82/3.2	Good period to go
May	23/73	30/86	126/5.0	Not the best period to go
June	23/73	30/86	160/6.3	Not the best period to go
July	23/73	30/86	214/8.4	Not the best period to go
August	23/73	30/86	227/8.9	Not the best period to go
September	23/73	31/88	232/9.1	Not the best period to go
October	23/73	30/86	221/8.7	Not the best period to go
November	22/72	30/86	230/9.1	Not the best period to go
December	21/70	29/84	126/5.0	Good period to go

Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport

The Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport is located in the town of Le Lamentin, about 12 kilometres (7.5 miles) south of Fort-de-France.

• One terminal

• By car
  • Accessible via the A1 (972) motorway or the N5 road.
  • P1 parking is free for the first 5 minutes in the lot opposite the terminal (1,600 spots available). The charge is EUR 1 for 5 to 35 minutes
  • P2 long-term parking is also available, EUR 19 per day
  • Several car rental companies have counters at the airport.
• By taxi
  • Taxis are available at the ranks outside exit D of the arrivals hall. Count EUR 25 for a trip to the city centre, an extra EUR 10 for night fare.

• Services: shops, bars and restaurants, free Internet access (Wi-Fi) available in the airport.
• Telephone: +596 (0)5 96 42 19 95
• Website: https://www.martinique.aeroport.fr/touslesvols-asp/

GETTING AROUND Fort de France

Getting around Martinique is quite easy because the island offers many different transport options. Bus and taxi remain the simplest and most practical modes of transportation though.

By bus

The MozaiK network (www.mozaik.mq) operates a number of bus routes in Fort-de-France and its suburbs (none on the rest of the island). Buses run from 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. from Monday to Sunday. The main bus station is on Boulevard du Général de Gaulle. A single ticket costs EUR 1.45.

Useful tip: The Pass' Crusoé offers unlimited travel on the whole MozaiK network. It is valid for 1 day (EUR 4.20) or 1 week (EUR 12).

By shared taxi

Without a doubt the best way to get around the island. Known in Martinique as "taxi-co" (for taxis collectifs, or shared taxis), these shared taxis operate on weekdays, starting very early in the morning and running every half hour until 6 p.m. Fares range from EUR 3.50 to EUR 11.50, depending on the destination.

By taxi

Private taxis are a relatively expensive way to get around Martinique. In addition, if you take one between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. or on Sundays, a 40% supplement is tacked on to the fare. Taxi ranks are mainly located at the airport and outside the major hotels.

By car

Exploring the island and Fort-de-France in a rental car is definitely an option to consider. The main roads are excellent and almost all of them are paved. However, secondary roads and those winding through the mountains are often quite narrow. Several car rental companies have locations in Fort-de-France and elsewhere in Martinique.

By boat

Maritime services are an ideal way to avoid the traffic jams when trying to get into Fort-de-France. Boat ferries connect the city centre with the village of Les Trois-Îlets, with a travel time of about 20 minutes. A round-trip ticket costs EUR 7.00.

By bicycle

Getting around Martinique by bicycle is best avoided. Bike lanes are not yet a common fixture on the streets of Fort-de-France or on roads in the rest of the island and there are very few cycling paths.

Visitor information

Upon your arrival in Fort-de-France, you can get in touch with local tourism professionals for further information and to help organise your stay.

Offers practical information and many useful recommendations (accommodation, restaurants, public transport, festivals, cultural events, etc.).

• Address: 29 rue Victor Hugo, 97200 Fort-de-France
• Telephone: +596 (0)5 96 80 00 70
• Website: http://tourisme-centre.fr/en/

Tourist offices are located at various destinations throughout Martinique, providing useful information and recommendations for your stay in each area.

• Tourist Office of Les Trois-Îlets
  • Address: Place Gabriel Hayot, 97229 Les Trois Îlets
  • Telephone: +596 (0)5 96 68 47 63
  • Website: www.accueil-martinique.fr/EN/

• Tourist Office of La Trinité
  • Address: 51 bis avenue Casimir Branglidor, 97220 La Trinité
  • Telephone: +596 (0)5 96 58 69 98

Currency and Exchange Rates

The currency used in France is the Euro (EUR).

MYR1 = €0.20

€1 = MYR5

The above exchange rate is given for information because is variable.

Medical information

In order to travel in the best conditions and for your health and safety, we invite you to check all information regarding preventive measures and best practices to be respected, available on the official website of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs: https://www.gouvernement.fr/info-coronavirus

Your comfort, well-being and health are at the heart of Air France's concerns, and we want to help you prepare for your trip in the best way possible. Find out more about the measures taken to ensure safe travelling on our website: https://www.airfrance.fr/FR/en/common/page_flottante/information/coronavirus.htm#notre-engagement-sanitaire

There are no vaccination requirements for visitors to France. For more information, contact Air France's international vaccination centre:

• Address: 38 quai de Jemmapes, 75010 Paris
• Website: https://www.vaccinations-airfrance.fr
• Telephone: +33 (0)1 43 17 22 00
• To make a vaccination appointment:
  • online (click here)
  • call the centre at +33 (0)1 43 17 22 00

Tap water is safe to drink in Martinique.

Administrative formalities

Entry requirements for France

Entry requirements for the French overseas departments (Réunion, Martinique, Guadeloupe, French Guiana and Mayotte) are different from those applicable in mainland France. Citizens of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or the Swiss Confederation do not need to carry a visa. To view the list of other countries whose citizens or nationals may travel to Martinique without a visa, or for information on the types of travel documents required, visit the website of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs:

https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/coming-to-france/requesting-a-visa/

Useful addresses

Directory of foreign embassies and consulates in France

Contact information for the embassies and consulates of your country is accessible in the directory of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs: https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/country-files/

To enjoy peace of mind during your stay in Fort-de-France, visit the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of your country.

Essential phrases

Good to know

+596

+ phone number (without 0)

-12 : 00
of time difference with
Kuala Lumpur

There is no daylight savings time in Martinique

BANKS

Usually open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon

GOVERNMENT OFFICES

Usually open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. to 4 p.m.

230 V / 50 Hz

Tipping
In Martinique like elsewhere in France, a service charge is always included in the bill. If you are particularly pleased with the service, you may certainly leave a few extra euros on the table. But this additional tip is neither expected nor necessary.