During centuries Martinica’s sugar haciendas were the engine for the economy of the island. Among its magnificent gardens and plantations, among particular stories of those families, Martinica’s history was forged.

In a certain way, these plantations continue being today a significant point of attention when you visit Martinica, though time has transformed them. There is a better understanding on the haciendas located in this Antillean island and that could be grasped when we are recalling that sugar cane has been one of the main engines of the local economy from the 17th century. As long as the lands devoted to agriculture increased in the area and slaves were brought to work on the land, Martinica turned into a vital center of all this part of the Caribbean. Just few families as owners controlled the large extension of land in the island and their wealthy status allowed them to travel and to stay in France for a long period of time.

Clément and History

Clément Hacienda located in Le François, operated as sugar facility since 1770. Luxury and everyday life's magnificence is apparent for the fine and robust wooden tables, silver artifacts, mirrors, teka woods from Mauritius Island... The pictures hung on the walls reflect the history of Martinica: they show that slaves used to carry the sugar cane on mules and then they were transported on steam locomotives and recently modern tractors can be seen in the plantations doing this job. Also the countenance of the main mastermind of this Company, Homère Clément can be seen in a portrait hung on a wall. The old sugar cane mills, the warehouses, of large vats where several people can fit inside and the old machines have been turned into decoration pieces in the gardens as one of the curiosities found at Clément. Leyritz, the Museum of Plantations Through a splendid landscape of plantations of sugar cane and bananos you can arrive to Leyritz, located in the northeast of the island of Martinica, near Basse Pointe locality. Its former residences have been recycled into a luxurious hotel and a restaurant. Those in charge of the Company have also organized a small museum exhibiting pretty Victorian dolls and artifacts, where remain the memory of the days lived in the plantations.

The route of rum

Rum by itself can easily be an incentive for a tourist tour around the island. The "route of rum" can take the tourist to visit distilleries, old haciendas turned into luxurious hotels and restaurants to taste the different types of rum manufactured there. Some of the well-known are listed below: Habitation Clément: 97240, Le Francois. Tel: 54 62 07. Fax: 54 63 50. Clément factory continues producing rum by the same name, in different varieties and you can also taste rum punch with citrus flavours. Leyritz Plantation. A hotel and restaurant that houses a museum, located at Basse Pointe city. Tel: 78 53 92. Fax: 78 92 44. Dillon Distillery. Its specialties are: white rum of 50º, 55º and 62º, "paille" rum and old rum, with several years of aging. Located at Chateaubouef No. 97200, Fort of France. Tel: 75 00 18. Depaz Distillery. Known as Pelee Mountain Plantation". You can visit the residence and also the distillery where the Saint Pierre agricultural rum is manufactured. Tel: 69 30 02. Habitation Lagrange. It is a 4-star hotel today, in the city of Le Marigot Tel: 53 60 60. Saint James Plantation. Visit a destillery and a rum museum. In Sainte Mairie. Tel: 69 30 02