Fort Saint-Louis

Fort Saint-Louis occupies the rocky promontory beside La Savane in Fort-de-France, begun in the seventeenth century and rebuilt repeatedly as the island changed hands, and it is still in use as a French naval base, which means visits are by guided tour on set days with identity checks. The tour covers the ramparts, the powder magazines and the views back over the city, and iguanas live on the walls in numbers.

History

The first stronghold on the site was ordered in 1638 by Jacques Dyel du Parquet, the first governor of Martinique, and it was rebuilt from 1669 under the Marquis de Baas and later the Count of Blénac along the lines of a Vauban design; in earlier forms it was known as Fort Royal and Fort de la République (Wikipedia, Fort Saint Louis (Martinique)).

Highlights

• The ramparts - the seventeenth-century walls above the harbour.
• The powder magazines - the vaulted stores within the fortifications.
• The city view - Fort-de-France and the bay seen from the walls.
• The iguanas - the large lizards living across the fort's stonework.

When to go

December to April is more comfortable for the exposed tour. Tours run on set days only and must be booked. It closes for naval operations without notice.

Practical notes

This is an active naval base: tours run only on certain days, require identity documents and are cancelled without notice. Photography is restricted in parts. There is no shade on the ramparts.

Nearby

La Savane is beside it, and the Schoelcher Library is a short walk away.

Key facts