Martinique=loved it! Pastry, history, and French pharmacies

I was planning on staying on the boat in Martinique as on none of the excursions really excited me. We decided that we would just walk around Fort-de-France (the town at the port) and see what it was like. First of all, there are some great vendors right at the end of the pier by the tent. Excellent rum, beautiful prints, jewellery, lovely handmade and natural soap were some of the things that I saw. I picked up a lovely package of tropical soaps for $10. Most of the vendors here take USD. Then we wandered into the town and saw some of the beautiful architecture such as the Bibliotheque Schoelcher. This library was built in France in 1889 then taken apart and shipped to Martinique. The streets were bustling and there were many interesting shops. We stopped into a cafe for some cafe and French pastry (as well as the free wi-fi) and it was very relaxing. The streets reminded me a little of New Orleans. Everyone that we encountered in the stores were very friendly. We tried to do our greetings in French and tell them (in French) that we speak English. Not everyone was able to speak English but they were all polite. It is not a smiley culture but I didn't mind that. It isn't that they don't want you there, they just go about their business and let you go about yours. It was refreshing to not have anyone ask you to buy anything...not even once.

I ended up wandering into one of the many pharmacies with their glowing green signs to buy some cough syrup for one of children. They were so helpful as I tried to explain in terrible French picked up from reading the dual labels on Canadian products. The cashier was even laughing and joking with me. The true magic happened when I wandered into the beauty product section. I could almost hear angels singing. I love Sephora and I love lotions and potions. The pharmacies in France have such a following and many ladies who go to France will spend lots of time and money on French beauty finds that are either really hard to find or really marked up in price in the U.S. or Canada. There are countless blogs and articles online dedicated to the best French pharmacy beauty finds such as Embryolisse, Biafine, Sensibio Bioderma, Cicalfate, Homeoplasmine. If my husband wasn't with me, I could have easily browsed for an hour or more. I bought some Homeoplasmine for about $6USD and some Nuxe Soothing Facial Oil for about $24. They have shelves and shelves of Caudalie, Nuxe, Bioderma, Avene, La Roche-Posay all for much more than you would pay in the U.S. and way more variety. Many of the items are really hard to find in the U.S. The other thing I love about true French beauty products is that Europe is much more strict with what they will and won't allow in personal care products so I feel that most of them have a much "cleaner" ingredient profile than you would find in the U.S. and you know you are getting the true European formulation...no English on the labels here folks. If I had known that I would be able to go to the pharmacies here, I would have had a list on my phone and simply show it to the person at the counter so they could have helped me find them all.

So if you are a lover of beauty products and French pastries, this might well prove to be one of your favourite ports! Save your excursion money, just wander into town, and head to a pharmacy! :)

Thanks for sharing this with all of us.

Keith

Oops, in my post I said things cost much more than in the U.S., I mean to say that they cost much less. Once I figure out how to edit my post, I will change it!!

Thanks

so cool about French parmacy..tell me where to research beauty products. What pastry shop did you go to? Thank you so much..was kind of dissapointed about what I'd read on Martinique so far and now Im excited!! Any other tips on this port! Did you go to Barbados?

Hello! I wasn't looking forward to Martinique either but I had a great time. I think that it would be interesting to take a tour of the island too but our kids weren't too interested in that and ended up going back to the boat with my mother-in-law. I can't recall the name of the cafe. It had a sign outside mentioning the free wi-fi. If I remember what it was, I will let you know.

As far as the beauty products, if you Google "French pharmacy beauty products" you will find many, many sites dedicated to the topic. Also have a look at: http://www.goop.com/the-french-pharmacy/

Goop is Gwyneth Paltrow's website and she had an article about it that lists some of the favourite products. Some of the top ones to buy are Biafine, Homeoplasmine, A-313, Embryolisse cream, and Bioderma Crealine H20 Micelle. There are many more. Some brands are easier to find in Canada and to some extent, the US but I saw products within the line that I had not seem before. If you have a list on your phone or a list printed off that you can just point to, that would be helpful especially if you don't speak French you can just show them what you are looking for. I paid for my items with my credit card as I didn't have Euros. If you want to pay cash, you will have to pay with Euros.

I also picked up some multivitamins and probiotics for my kids while I was there. The price was great and since they are from France, they are free from artificial colours. There are all sorts of great things to find there!

We did go to Barbados. We went to Harbour Lights beach. It was a very enjoyable day at the beach. The sand was amazing and felt like flour. It was a crowded beach several rows of chairs so if you are hoping to be in the front row, you must show up early. You do have quite a few folks ask if you are interested in water activities but it wasn't excessive and they aren't rude or persistent. You must be getting excited for your cruise!

Oh, one last thing about Martinique. The vendors that are right at the end of the pier have some good things too. I bought a print on linen of a Martinique rum label. The prints were $15 and they were black on a neutral colored linen. They would be great framed. I was hoping to get more and track him down on Etsy but no luck yet. This was my favourite port for shopping. I also looked in a couple of shoe shops and they had some excellent European brands and very good selection. I think you are going to have fun if this is the sort of day you are looking for. At every other port, we did a beach day so this was a nice change. I look forward to hearing how you like it!

Thanks for sharing with us.

I have to admit I've never really loved our stops in Martinique so it's nice to hear how much you enjoyed your visit.

Welcome Back. :)

Hello! I wasn't looking forward to Martinique either but I had a great time. I think that it would be interesting to take a tour of the island too but our kids weren't too interested in that and ended up going back to the boat with my mother-in-law. I can't recall the name of the cafe. It had a sign outside mentioning the free wi-fi. If I remember what it was, I will let you know.

As far as the beauty products, if you Google "French pharmacy beauty products" you will find many, many sites dedicated to the topic. Also have a look at: http://www.goop.com/the-french-pharmacy/

Goop is Gwyneth Paltrow's website and she had an article about it that lists some of the favourite products. Some of the top ones to buy are Biafine, Homeoplasmine, A-313, Embryolisse cream, and Bioderma Crealine H20 Micelle. There are many more. Some brands are easier to find in Canada and to some extent, the US but I saw products within the line that I had not seem before. If you have a list on your phone or a list printed off that you can just point to, that would be helpful especially if you don't speak French you can just show them what you are looking for. I paid for my items with my credit card as I didn't have Euros. If you want to pay cash, you will have to pay with Euros.

I also picked up some multivitamins and probiotics for my kids while I was there. The price was great and since they are from France, they are free from artificial colours. There are all sorts of great things to find there!

 

We did go to Barbados. We went to Harbour Lights beach. It was a very enjoyable day at the beach. The sand was amazing and felt like flour. It was a crowded beach several rows of chairs so if you are hoping to be in the front row, you must show up early. You do have quite a few folks ask if you are interested in water activities but it wasn't excessive and they aren't rude or persistent. You must be getting excited for your cruise!

 

Oh, one last thing about Martinique. The vendors that are right at the end of the pier have some good things too. I bought a print on linen of a Martinique rum label. The prints were $15 and they were black on a neutral colored linen. They would be great framed. I was hoping to get more and track him down on Etsy but no luck yet. This was my favourite port for shopping. I also looked in a couple of shoe shops and they had some excellent European brands and very good selection. I think you are going to have fun if this is the sort of day you are looking for. At every other port, we did a beach day so this was a nice change. I look forward to hearing how you like it!

Thanks so very much...really looking forward to this port now...going to start researching French Pharmacies!! We love the French pastries too! One of my favorite memories was on St Barts and going to a tiny french bakery...amazing and quaint.

This is so much more encouraging than previous posts I've read about Martinique. It'll be our first time here. Earlier in the year, I found a walking tour map of the city, so with a little shopping, a little eating and a little walking, I think we'll be all set for this stop.

Thank you!

Thanks for the report.

Enjoyed your review. Very interesting.

We had a surprisingly good tour in Martinique a few years ago -from HAL's Noordam. We did a ship's tour to St. Pierre, through the rain forest to Balata Gardens and to Balata Church. The gardens were beautiful- with the plants labeled. We had a great guide- Yves- and a comfortable trip.

It is good to read of other enjoyable things to do at this port.

Wow ! ! I can't wait to get there !!!

We enjoyed savory crêpes and cidre while ashore in Fort-de-France.

We enjoyed savory crêpes and cidre while ashore in Fort-de-France.

OMG !! Cider just like in Brittany? 😆 We went to visit Brittany for our honeymoon. ..the crêpes bretonnes are to die for ! !!

Yep - and don't bother w/Euro. Just pay w/a CC.

Yep - and don't bother w/Euro. Just pay w/a CC.

Even at the Grand Marché ?

Did not go to the spice market.

Did not go to the spice market.

But where did you go for the cider and crepes?

Restaurant La Baie - corner of R. de la Liberté and R. V. Hugo. Second floor, balcony - nice view of Fort Saint Louis.

Both sweet and savory crêpes. Half bottles of cidre and wines if you don't want a full bottle.

. . . and table ashtrays - if you go that way.

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Thank You! We will definitely do that!

Thank you for the great review of town. We plan to walk and tour and shop. Sounds like we will do fine without euros. What credit cards did they accepts?

Debr