Habitation Clément

Habitation Clément at Le François combines three things on one estate: a restored eighteenth-century creole great house furnished to period, the rum distillery and ageing cellars with their tasting, and a contemporary art foundation with a purpose-built gallery and works sited through the park. The grounds hold a large palm collection. The estate hosted a meeting between the French and American presidents in 1991, which the house makes something of.

The main sights

• The creole house - the restored eighteenth-century great house and its furnishings.
• The ageing cellars - the barrel stores and the rum tasting at the end.
• The art foundation - the gallery and works placed through the park.
• The palm collection - the planted grounds around the buildings.

When to go

Year round on daily hours. Mornings are cooler for the grounds. Exhibition changes close the gallery for short periods.

What to expect

Entry is not cheap and the tasting is brief for the price. The art gallery closes between exhibitions. It gets crowded when cruise excursions arrive.

Nearby

Le François is beside it, and the fonds blancs are offshore.

Key facts