A drive around the island from Fort-de-France: the Route de la Trace through the rainforest, Saint-Pierre at the foot of Mount Pelée, Grand'Rivière at the end of the northern road, the Caravelle peninsula, then the beaches of the south, from Les Salines to Les Anses-d'Arlet. Distances are short, but the northern roads are narrow and steep, and the Le Lamentin traffic jams should be planned for as a stage in their own right.
| Days | Stop | Drive |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Fort-de-France | Start |
| Days 2 to 3 | Saint-Pierre | 51 km · 1h10 |
| Day 4 | Grand'Rivière | 40 km · 50 min |
| Days 5 to 6 | Tartane (Caravelle peninsula) | 52 km · 1h |
| Days 7 to 8 | Sainte-Anne | 55 km · 1h05 |
| Day 9 | Le Diamant | 32 km · 35 min |
| Day 10 | Les Anses-d'Arlet | 9 km · 10 min |
| Day 11 | Back to Fort-de-France | 38 km · 40 min |
Road route calculated from the stops (OpenStreetMap). Driving times assume no stops and no traffic: add time for photo breaks.
From December to April, during the carême, the dry season cooled by the trade winds. From June to November, the hivernage (rainy season) brings showers, rockfalls on the northern roads and a cyclone risk, with a ban on driving during a red alert.
🚗 51 km · 1h10 of driving from Fort-de-France
RN3, the Route de la Trace, via Balata and the Pitons du Carbet, the Deux Choux tunnel, then the RN2 from Le Morne-Rouge to Saint-Pierre.
🚗 40 km · 50 min of driving from Saint-Pierre
RN2 to Le Morne-Rouge, RN3 via L'Ajoupa-Bouillon to Basse-Pointe, then the narrow, dead-end D10 via Macouba.
🚗 52 km · 1h of driving from Grand'Rivière
Back to Basse-Pointe, RN1 along the Atlantic coast via Le Lorrain and Sainte-Marie, then La Trinité and the D2 to Tartane.
🚗 55 km · 1h05 of driving from Tartane
Atlantic coast via Le Robert, then RN6 via Le François and Le Vauclin to Le Marin. Avoid Le Lamentin at rush hour.
🚗 32 km · 35 min of driving from Sainte-Anne
Back to Le Marin, RN5 via Sainte-Luce, then the D7 to the south coast and Le Diamant.
🚗 9 km · 10 min of driving from Le Diamant
D7 then D37 at the foot of Morne Larcher, a short winding road between the coves.
🚗 38 km · 40 min of driving from Les Anses-d'Arlet
Skip Fort-de-France and Le Diamant: Saint-Pierre (2 nights) via the Trace, Grand'Rivière as a there-and-back, Tartane (1), Sainte-Anne (2), Les Anses-d'Arlet (1). Return to the airport outside rush hour.
| Car hire only, annual average | ≈ €33 a day |
|---|---|
| February, most expensive month | ≈ €48 a day |
| June, cheapest month | ≈ €16 a day (Kayak, Sept. 2026) |
| Vehicle | City car or compact: the roads are winding, narrow and steep. No 4x4 needed. |
|---|---|
| Where to pick it up | At Aimé Césaire Airport, Le Lamentin. It is a loop, so you return to the same desk. |
| Deposit | €800 to €2,000 depending on the category at Jumbo Car, blocked on a card in the driver's name. |
| Age | 21 and 1 year's licence in general; from 18 at Jumbo Car, with young driver insurance. |
| Licence | Original licence required for every driver: copies are refused. |
⚠️ Maestro, Electron and Nikel cards are refused for the deposit at Jumbo Car: check your card type and limit before you leave.
A French département: the same highway code, penalty points and fines as in mainland France. Other licences: check whether an International Driving Permit is required.
As in mainland France. A single motorway, the A1 (7 km) between Fort-de-France and the airport, toll-free.
110 on the A1 and dual carriageways, 90 on two lanes in the same direction, 50 in towns.
0.2 g/l for probationary licence holders, as in mainland France.
At Le Lamentin, on the A1 and in Fort-de-France; southbound in the evening. Set off before 07:00.
The Trace, the D10 to Grand'Rivière, the climb to L'Aileron: tight bends, little lighting. Avoid driving at night.
Very many motorbikes and bicycles, which pass between lanes: check your mirrors before overtaking.
Cyclone season from June to November. Follow the alerts from Météo-France Martinique.
≈ €1.90 per litre of unleaded, €2.08 for diesel (September 2026)
Price recorded in September 2026: it changes every week, sometimes by 10 to 20 cents in a month. Check it before you go.
⛽ 277 km at 7 l per 100 km: about €40 at September 2026 prices, to share between passengers.
Maximum prices set every month by the prefect. Diesel went up 17 cents in September, more expensive than petrol.
| Roads and A1 motorway | No tolls on the island |
|---|---|
| Fort-de-France centre | Paid parking on weekdays and Saturday mornings; first 2 hours free after registering |
| La Savane car park (Fort-de-France) | €2.10 an hour, €15 for 24 hours |
| Grande Anse des Salines | Free car park, around 200 spaces, full by about 09:00 at weekends |
| 1902 Memorial (Saint-Pierre) | €8 per adult |
| Route de la Trace (RN3) | Fallen trees and rockfalls after heavy rain; blocked in June 2026 |
|---|---|
| Rivière des Pères ford (RD10, Saint-Pierre) | Closed when in flood; temporary viaduct opened only in that case |
| Le Prêcheur and Anse Couleuvre | Mudflows (lahars) in heavy rain, warning sirens |
| Grand'Rivière to Anse Couleuvre trail | Tricky after heavy rain; check the ONF trail map |
| All roads | Driving banned during a red cyclone alert |
Allow 10 to 12 days for this loop of 7 stages and 10 nights: the Trace, Saint-Pierre, Grand'Rivière, the Caravelle, Sainte-Anne, Le Diamant and Les Anses-d'Arlet. Drives rarely last more than an hour, but Mount Pelée and the beaches take whole days. In 7 days, keep Saint-Pierre, Tartane, Sainte-Anne and Les Anses-d'Arlet.
Car only: around €330 of car hire over 10 days (€33 a day, Kayak average), €160 in June, nearly €480 in February. No tolls. Around €40 of petrol at September 2026 prices for about 300 km from stage to stage, plus the there-and-back trips. A deposit of €800 to €2,000 blocked on your card.
Avoid driving from 06:30 to 09:00 and from 16:00 to 19:00 around Le Lamentin, on the A1 and in Fort-de-France. In the evening, the southern roads (Rivière-Salée, Trois-Îlets, Le Marin, Sainte-Anne) also fill up. Set off before 07:00 on long days and return the car outside peak hours.
No. The D10 ends at Grand'Rivière, and no road runs round the northern tip to Le Prêcheur. The two are linked on foot by a coastal trail of about 12 km, 5 hours' walk, tricky after rain. By car, you have to go back via Basse-Pointe and Le Morne-Rouge.
The highway code is the same as in mainland France, but the roads are winding, narrow and often steep, especially the Route de la Trace, the D10 to Grand'Rivière and the access roads to the southern coves. Two-wheelers filter between lanes. A city car copes better, and it is best to avoid the poorly lit mountain roads at night.
From December to April, during the carême, drier and cooled by the trade winds. From June to November, the hivernage brings heavy showers, fallen trees and rockfalls on the Trace, floods at Le Prêcheur, and the cyclone risk: during a red alert, all driving is banned.
Driving rules, prices and closures checked in September 2026; hotels checked on OpenStreetMap and then on Booking. Rules change: read the official source before you leave, and check your own government's travel advice for the country. Stop photos: Wikimedia Commons, authors and licences under each image.
Off We Gooo road trip guide · offwegooo.com/en/road-trips/martinique · by Pierrick, updated 1 October 2026
