Martinique: Anse d’Arlet (and the Morne Champagne trail)

There were not many groceries available in Grande Anse d’Arlet, so we decided to hike over to the next town south, Anse d’Arlet.

Martinique is an island of volcanic origins, and each of the bays are really the crater of a long extinct volcano.  To get from bay to bay you have to walk up and out of the crater and then back down into the next crater.

The footpath from Grande Anse d’Arlet to Anse d’Arlet climbs up and over the ridge called Morne Champagne.

The lower sections of the trail were very tropical with a rich mix of cacti and fruiting trees.

As you ascended the volcanic soil became more arid and the plant growth more grassy and sparse.

Some of the plants along the trail were truly ‘stuck between a rock and a hard place’.

Finally we made it around the ridge and could see our destination ahead.

Anse d’Arlet is another very touristy beach town.

We could have brought the boat around and anchored off in the south end of the bay.  There is a big dingy dock in the centre of the beach to tie up your tenders.  But no, the humans had to drag me over a mountain instead.

The town has a load of restaurants and cafes you can eat at.  There is also a tiny fruit market in the town centre just up from the church.

There is one tiny fruit and vegetable shop, that also sells eggs, and a little bakery to purchase baguette.

The hike back to Grande Anse d’Arlet following the road, took 1/3 of the time.

You do not know what I have to put up with!