🇫🇷France · Places to discover
What to see in Les Trois-Îlets?
23 places selected by the community - landmarks, nature, hidden restaurants and activities.
Les Trois-Îlets is Martinique on the right bank of Fort-de-France Bay, twenty minutes by shuttle ferry from the capital. The village owes its reputation to the birthplace of Joséphine de Beauharnais, but it's chiefly worth visiting for its offset rhythm, its seafaring quarters and a waterfront that hasn't yet been flattened by mass tourism.
The best period runs from December to April, outside the rainy season. Two days are enough to explore the town, the Musée de la Pagerie and the Anse Mitan beaches on foot or by bicycle. Take the ferry from Fort-de-France rather than driving: the road detour is long and unrewarding. Avoid the restaurants directly on the Anse Mitan pontoon, run at inflated prices for passing cruise passengers.
Landmarks & heritage
6 places
- 1
Landmark
Landmark
Anse Mitan - Waterfront
Lively seaside quarter with wooden pontoons, moored sailing boats and direct views across to Fort-de-France. The local ferry crossing the bay departs from here, offering the finest maritime approach to the prefecture.
- 2
Landmark
Landmark
Trois-Îlets Town Centre - Central Square
Authentic village heart with colourful Creole houses, fishermen returning in the morning, and the preserved atmosphere of a small Martinique town. Come evening, locals gather here for games of dominoes.
- 3
Landmark
Landmark
Town Hall of Trois-Îlets
Colonial administrative building with faded charm, facing the lively town square. Its typical Creole architecture with galleries and coloured woodwork perfectly illustrates 19th-century Caribbean urbanism.
- 4
Landmark
Landmark
Simon Sugar Works
Remnants of a colonial sugar plantation nestled in tropical vegetation, complete with a towering red-brick chimney still standing. A silent testament to the sugar economy that shaped Martinique.
- 5
Landmark
Landmark
Pottery Village of Trois-Îlets
An 18th-century industrial site reimagined as a thriving artisanal village, with potters, galleries and workshops. Period brick kilns remain visible, and artisans work before your eyes.
- 6
Landmark
Landmark
Birthplace of Empress Joséphine
The ruins of the La Pagerie plantation where Marie-Josèphe Rose Tascher de la Pagerie was born in 1763, later to become Napoleon's wife. A small adjacent museum preserves authentic personal effects and her childhood cradle.
Museums
1 place
- 7
Museum
Museum
Pagerie Museum
A museum housed in the former kitchen of the Pagerie plantation, displaying Napoleon's love letters, period portraits and furniture. An intimate collection that brings to life the extraordinary destiny of the Creole who became empress.
Religious sites
1 place
8Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Religious site
Church of Saint-Louis des Trois-Îlets
An 18th-century colonial church where Joséphine de Beauharnais was baptised in 1763. This listed historic monument features an adjoining cemetery that chronicles three centuries of Martiniquan history.
Nature
3 places
- 9
Nature
Nature
Pointe du Bout Coastal Path
Waterside trail skirting the limestone cliffs between Pointe du Bout and Anse Mitan, offering sweeping views across turquoise sea. Popular with local joggers in the morning, it provides an intimate perspective on the shoreline.
- 10
Nature
Nature
Tropical Forest of Vauclin Mountain - Trois-Îlets Slope
Lush, humid undergrowth where tree ferns, heliconias and wild orchids flourish. Misty mornings here are particularly magical, with the songs of hummingbirds and white-throated thrushes.
- 11
Nature
Nature
Mangrove of Trois-Îlets Bay
Mangrove forest accessible by kayak or paddleboard from Anse Mitan, natural habitat for crabs, herons and kingfishers. An underrated ecosystem offering silent immersion in tropical nature.
Parks & gardens
1 place
- 12
Park
Park
Leyritz Plantation Gardens - Trois-Îlets Sector
Working agricultural estate where vanilla, cocoa and tropical fruits are grown, with guided tours by the owner himself. An immersion into traditional Creole farming, well removed from standardised circuits.
Viewpoints
1 place
- 13
Viewpoint
Viewpoint
Panoramic View from Pagerie Road
Natural viewpoint over Fort-de-France Bay from the peninsula's heights, accessible by car. At sunset, the low-angled light on the calm bay waters and Fort-de-France's twinkling lights is breathtaking.
Activities
4 places
- 14
Activity
Activity
Pottery Village Craft Market
Weekly market in the village of la Poterie where local artisans sell ceramics, basketware, spices and traditional Martinique produce. A world away from the industrial souvenir shops cluttering the tourist zones.
- 15
Activity
Activity
Sea Kayak Hire - Anse à l'Âne
Independent kayak and paddle board rental operator offering access to the jagged coastline of the peninsula and the small, untamed coves that are unreachable on foot. Ideal for paddling along the mangrove at sunrise.
- 16
Activity
Activity
Corail Club Diving Centre
Serious diving operation based at Anse Mitan offering outings to wrecks and coral gardens in Fort-de-France bay. Local instructors know the secret spots beyond reach of larger commercial operators.
- 17
Activity
Activity
Empress Joséphine Golf Course
Eighteen-hole championship course set in exceptional tropical grounds, overlooking Fort-de-France bay. Open to non-members, it bears Joséphine's name in honour of her birthplace just metres away.
Beaches
6 places
18Wikimedia CommonsBeach
Anse à l'Âne Beach
Family-friendly crescent beach, calm and shallow, perfect for children. Local fishermen moor their colourful boats here, and on certain mornings you can buy fresh fish straight from the shore.
19Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Beach
Surfers' Beach – Anse à l'Ane
A wild, quiet beach in Trois-Îlets, reachable from Fort-de-France by ferry then on foot. Locals favour it for snorkelling and Sunday picnics, the water remarkably crystalline.
20Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0Beach
Anse Mitan Beach
Fine sand beach overlooking Fort-de-France Bay, ideal for snorkelling with shallow waters and colourful fish. Less crowded than southern beaches, with coconut palms providing welcome shade.
21Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0Beach
Pointe du Bout Beach
A tranquil beach on the Trois-Îlets peninsula, a 20-minute speedboat journey from the Embarkation Quay. Turquoise waters and sandy bottom are ideal for snorkelling amongst tropical fish.
22Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0Beach
Anse Noire and Anse Dufour
Twin coves distinguished by contrasting sands—one of volcanic black sand, the other of white sand—accessible via a coastal path from the road. Sea turtles regularly come to feed in these crystalline waters.
- 23
Beach
Beach
Anse Mitan – Caribbean Coast
A white-sand beach accessible by water shuttle from Fort-de-France in just 10 minutes, with direct views of the city. Less crowded than southern beaches, it remains a local refuge on weekdays.
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