Forming part of Le Diamant Peninsula, Les Trois-Îlets is a coastal community in the south-west of Martinique. It’s home to a two-hectare cultural park that brings the island’s slave history to life and is famed as the birthplace of Josephine, who went on to marry Napoleon Bonaparte.
Things to do in Les Trois-Îlets
If you’re interested in Martinique’s slave history, visit La Savane des Esclaves, a cultural site and museum that was created by Gilbert Larose in 2004. In addition to its recreated Amerindian village with 25 traditional huts, there’s a Creole medicinal garden with herbal plantings. Through exhibits and demonstrations, you can learn about the way of life for slaves on the island, both before and after abolition.
One of Les Trois-Îlets’ most popular attractions is the Pagerie Museum, which occupies a sugar plantation once owned by the family of Napoléon Bonaparte’s first wife, Josephine. Napoleonic-era artefacts are on display in the small cottage, including Josephine’s childhood bed. A highlight of the collection is the hand-written love letters written by Napoleon to his future wife.
In the north of Les Trois-Îlets is Pointe du Bout Beach, which is a popular setting for swimming and a variety of water sports. At the southern end of the bay is Splash Caraïbes, a family-friendly inflatable obstacle course. Golfers can test their skills at the nearby Golf des Trois-Îlets, which centres around an 18-hole course designed by Robert Trent-Jones.
Getting around Les Trois-Îlets
Les Trois-Îlets is a 25-minute drive from Fort-de-France and 20 minutes from Martinique Aimé Césaire International Airport, which has flights to destinations across North America, Europe and the Caribbean. Buses connect to Les Trois-Îlets from towns across Martinique while renting a car gives you greater freedom to explore the region.