La Yole de Martinique

The yole ronde is a Martinican boat descended from fishing craft, sailed without a keel or ballast, which means the crew keep it upright by hanging out on wooden poles thrust through the hull, a dozen bodies suspended over the water at once. Boats are still built by hand to traditional lines. UNESCO selected the yole for its Register of Good Safeguarding Practices in 2020 as a model of how a living tradition can be maintained.

What you actually see

• The hiking poles - crews hanging out on wooden bars to keep the boat upright.
• The hand building - hulls still made to traditional lines by local yards.
• The Tour des Yoles - the multi-day race around the island each summer.
• The UNESCO recognition - selection for the Register of Good Safeguarding Practices in 2020.

When to go

July and August bring the Tour des Yoles, the main event of the year. Individual races run at other points in the season. There is nothing to see outside race days.

Honest expectations

Outside race days there is nothing to watch; timing a visit around the calendar matters. Coastal roads and villages are congested during the tour. Following the racing properly needs a boat.

Nearby

Le Robert and Le François on the Atlantic coast are among the main race bases.