Discovering the Isle of Flowers at France Know-How Media Tour

BY SIMONE J. SMITH

There was a warm spot in Toronto on November 6^th, 2019 at the Gladstone Hotel. Toronto Caribbean Newspaper was invited to the Know-How Tourism put on by Atout France. So, you might be wondering, what does France have to do with a Caribbean Newspaper; well I will get to that in a minute. Let us discover what the Know-How Media tour is all about.

Toronto Caribbean Newspaper, along with other journalists were invited to meet representatives from several destinations in Europe, and in one special stop in the Caribbean. According to Mélanie Paul-Hus (Director of Atout France in Canada), 15 million visitors were welcomed in 2018 in the 2,000 companies of the entreprise et découverte (business and discovery) network. It is a way of travelling that allows you to shift from a consumer to being an actual witness of all that French Tourism can offer.

Atout France is the State’s sole operator in the field of tourism, and they ambitiously showcase the attractiveness of the French destination to the world. They have 33 offices in 30 countries, and they cover 78 intervention markets collaborating closely with embassies, tourist customers and distribution partners. If traveling in France is what I experienced, then I can definitely see the draw to the region. I was greeted at the door with a glass of champagne, and they kept these coming. All guests were treated to different wines, cheeses, and delectable French cuisine throughout the night; while my taste buds were being tantalized, my visual senses were also being stimulated by the sights and sounds of beautiful destination points in the French tourism circuit. Our visual tour included but was not limited to:

• Introduction to the opening of Lyon’s first Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie
• The Kingdom of Ski: Les Menuires, Bal d’Isère and Val Thorens
• Brittany, the seductive island known as the land of sailors and explorers
• The Loire Valley Wine Routes located in the Atlantic Loire Valley
• The French Caribbean Island of Martinique

Until a few years ago, I had no idea that Martinique existed, and this is truly a shame. It is one of the reasons that I thought it was important to share what I have learned. In January 2019 Martinique was listed on OrahMag.com as one of

‘The 19 Best Winter Getaways’. So how is it that this island has remained hidden from many of us for so long? Today, we are going to change that. I would like to introduce to the larger Caribbean community, the Isle of Flowers, Martinique.

Historical Fact

Martinique is a corruption of the Indian name Madiana (Island of Flowers) or Madinina (Fertile Island with Luxuriant Vegitation). The Caribs reported this to Christopher Columbus in 1502 (Cornevin, September 2019, Brittanica Online).

Martinique is located in the heart of the Lesser Antilles between Dominica and St. Lucia. Martinique lies 3,625 kilometres from Montreal, 2,366 kilometres from Miami, and 6,857 Kilometres from Paris (La Martinique, 2019). It is 1,128 square kilometres of fragrant exotic flowers, silver-grey volcanic sand beaches, and beautiful warm people. The capital of Martinique is Fort-de-France, but it used to be the city of St. Pierre, which was the biggest city in Martinique before the eruption of Mount Pelee, now known as the worst volcanic disaster of the 20^th century. It has been reported that in less than a minute, the volcano destroyed the entire city of St. Pierre. More than 30,000 people died, and only three made it out alive.

The temperature is remarkably constant with average minimums of 20 -23 degrees celsius, and an average maximum of 30-32 degrees celsius. There are two distinct seasons in Martinique, a dry one, which lasts from December to June, and a rainy wintery one, which lasts from July to December. Winds from the south are hot and humid, and like many of the other Caribbean islands, Martinique does experience the occasional hurricane.

The island is inhabited by the békés, who are the white descendants of the original French settlers. The original Carib Indian population disappeared after the arrival of the Europeans, partly as a result of disease, conflicts with the Europeans, and assimilation (Cornevin, September 2019, Brittanica Online). Slaves brought in from Africa added to the ethnic component that we see in Martinique today, and people of mixed European and African ancestry account for more than nine-tenths of the population.

When I visited Martinique in 2018, if it were not for the tropical environment, I could easily believe that this was how living in France must feel like. Martinique is a chic island that has perfectly mimicked the fashion and style of its mother country France. There has been some controversy over whether or not Martinique should remain a territory of France. Some enjoy the perks that come with having a French allegiance, and some argue that they would prefer to have their independence.

The languages spoken are French and Creole; in Martinique, Creole is spoken more than it is written, and it has become part of an oral tradition passed on through island storytellers. Creole is used to teach history and to pass on traditional tales and fables central to Martinique heritage.

When and if you decide to visit Martinique prepare yourself for a vast array of majestic landscapes, including magnificent, large mangroves. The roots of the trees are not underground, but out in the open air, and have been nicknamed, “Forests taking a foot bath.” You will definitely want to take part in the cultural heritage of Martinique by visiting their extensive network of museums that are scattered throughout the island, and finally a vacation is not a vacation if you don’t have a chance to visit the picture-perfect beaches that Martinique has to offer.

There is so much to be said, but not nearly enough time, so I will encourage you to visit https://us.martinique.org/ and take in all that this island has to over. I plan to make a trip next year, so stay tuned for an update in 2020.