Distillerie Depaz

Depaz works cane on the slopes directly below Mount Pelée, ground made extraordinarily fertile by the volcano and destroyed along with everything else when it erupted in 1902. Victor Depaz, who survived because he was in France, returned and rebuilt the estate, including the château that stands above the works. The distillery still uses a steam engine and its own cane, and the visit takes in the mill, the column still and the château.

What you actually see

• The volcanic slopes - cane grown on ground directly below Mount Pelée.
• The château - the house Victor Depaz built after returning from France.
• The steam engine - the machinery still driving part of the works.
• The column still - the distillation setup producing the estate's rhum agricole.

When to go

January to June is the cane season when the distillery is running. Outside it the works are idle. It closes on Sundays and some holidays.

Honest expectations

Outside the cane season the machinery is not running and the visit is much thinner. The site is self-guided with limited explanation. Tasting is separate from entry.

Nearby

Saint-Pierre is below, and Mount Pelée rises behind.