Paramin

Paramin sits on slopes above Maraval so steep that farming is done by hand and vehicles need low gear and good brakes, and its people grow herbs - chives, thyme and parsley - along with tomatoes and yams, and the seasoning bundles sold across the island. Many families descend from French Creole settlers who came after the Cedula of Population of 1783, place names such as Morne Espoir and Saut d'Eau are French, and a French patois is still spoken by older residents; the church holds a mass in patois on Dimanche Gras, the Sunday before Carnival. At Carnival the village is known for its blue devils, jab jabs covered in blue paint who roam the roads on Carnival Monday night.

Highlights

• The herb terraces - chives, thyme and seasoning grown on near-vertical slopes.
• The blue devils - the Carnival Monday jab jab tradition the village is known for.
• The patois - the French-based creole still spoken by older residents.
• The hill views - the north coast and the city from the ridge roads.

When to go

January to May is driest. The blue devils come out on Carnival Monday night, in February or March. Parang singing fills the village in December.

Good to know

The roads are extremely steep and narrow, and local jeep taxis run up them. There are no visitor facilities. The blue devil event is a village affair, loud and physical, not a staged show.

Nearby

Maraval is below, and Port of Spain is south.

Key facts