As we swing north from Fort-de-France, our main targets are Le Carbet, St-Pierre, Montagne Pelée, and Leyritz. However, we'll sandwich in many stopovers along the way.
From Fort-de-France, there are three ways to head north to Montagne Pelée. The first is to follow Route N4 up to St-Joseph. From there take the left fork for 5km (3 miles) and then turn onto Route D15 toward Le Marigot.
Another option is to take Route N3 through the vegetation-rich mornes (hills) to Le Morne Rouge. This road is known as "Route de la Trace" and is now the center of the Parc Naturel de la Martinique.
Yet a third route to Montagne Pelée is via Route N2 along the coast. This is the route we'll follow, and the order in which we'll list the towns along the way is as follows. Near Fort-de-France, the first town you reach is Schoelcher. Farther along Route N2 is Case-Pilote, and then Bellefontaine. This portion, along the most popular drive in Martinique -- from Fort-de-France to St-Pierre -- is very reminiscent of the way the French Riviera used to look. Bellefontaine is a small fishing village, with boats stretched along the beach. Note the many houses also built in the shape of boats.
