Fort Oge

Fort Ogé sits on a ridge above Jacmel, built in the years after independence as part of the chain of inland forts intended to make the country defensible against a return. It is square, walled, with bastions at the corners and cannon still on the terraces, and it has been partly restored. The reason to make the climb is as much the position as the building: the Caribbean is laid out to the south and the Massif de la Selle rises to the north.

What you actually see

• The walls and bastions - a square fort with corner bastions, partly restored.
• The cannon - guns still lying on the terraces inside.
• The coastal view - Jacmel and the Caribbean spread out to the south.
• The mountain backdrop - the Massif de la Selle rising inland to the north.

When to go

November to March is dry and best for the walk up. Early morning is coolest and clearest. Cloud often covers the ridge by afternoon.

Honest expectations

The last stretch is a walk up a rough track, steep and unshaded. There is no interpretation on site and no facilities. A local guide is the practical way to find the turning and the path.

Nearby

Jacmel is ten kilometres south, and Bassin Bleu is west of the town.