Last Updated on October 19, 2023 by Jill
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Yeah! We have made it to Martinique. Another island I have always wanted to visit. I was so excited. Our first stop was the town of St. Pierre well known for the volcanic eruptions of Mt Pelee in 1902. There is a lot of history here and I can’t wait to go find out about it. for all those history nerds this post is for you. Martinique….Not Just Another Island
We got anchored and Dave headed in to get us checked in with customs and immigration.
Let me tell you a little about St. Pierre…
St. Pierre
Prior to the Mt. Pelee eruption, St. Pierre was known as “The Paris of the Caribbean”. They called it that because of the cultural and economic vitality. This made it the most important city in Martinique. That would all change after the eruption. To start our learning journey about the town we made our first stop at The Discovery Center of The Sciences of The Earth.
Museums
This museum has a video that discusses the bustling city of St. Pierre, Mt. Pelee, and all about the eruption. It also talks about other volcanos in the Caribbean. The video was very informative and the rooms that we walked through had a lot of information on the volcano as well. It is definitely worth a visit if you come here.
While we were at the museum we also checked out a different exhibit. This exhibit was a lot of fun and very interactive. It was called the risk assessment exhibit. I have included pictures below of the exhibit. We really enjoyed it. Time to check out some other spots.
Next, we spent time at the newly renovated museum in town on the eruption called Memorial de la Catastrophe 1902. Now, onto tour the city and see the remanents of the buildings. Well, let’s back up a bit and give you some brief info on the eruption first.
Eruption
Mt. Pelee erupted on May 8 1902 killing an estimated 29,000 people. This was the largest causality number of a volcanic eruption in the 20th century. In the days leading up to it, there were warning signs from the volcano but the governor convinced people it was safe to stay.
There were two survivors and some say 3 although little is known about the third survivor other than it was a little girl who hid in a cave and then was found floating unconscious in a drifting boat. The other two were more well known. One was a felon who was in solitary confinement during the eruption and the other was a shoemaker… The felon went on later to tour with the circus. The shoemaker moved to another city only to evacuate again later due to another eruption. There is a lot more to be told about it. So for all you history nerds who are interested in learning more click on the link or do a search on 1902 Mt. Pelle eruption in Martinique. Fascinating stuff!
Touring The Town
Next, it was time to tour the city ruins that remain still today. Most buildings today still have one wall that was built before the eruption.
One of the big places we checked out was the old theater
The theater sat 800 and was used for a variety of things besides just plays. It was used for great operas, political meetings, and more.
However, the renovation that took place in 1900 was too much of a financial burden and the theater actually closed 1 year prior to the eruption. Sad when you see how magnificent the staircases were and the interior setup was. You can see this in the pictures I have included.
What a great place full of history. During our lunch, some weather moved in and our anchorage got very rolly. It was decided to push onto our next spot. We are heading to Fort de France this afternoon. Martinique…Not Just Another Island. We are loving this island!
Cheers,
Jill
