Rums

The Fonds Saint- Jacques, a historically important 17th-century sugar estate in the north, attracts visitors with its Musée du Père Labat, named for the Dominican monk who had a powerful impact on many aspects of history in Martinique, including rum production.
Finally, there is the Maison de la Canne, a modern museum devoted to sugar and rum just outside Trois-Ilets. Also near Trois-Ilets is the Empress Joséphine's birthplace, La Pagerie, which has a museum of her mementos; nearby is the Parc des Floralies, a peaceful and pretty botanical park. Also of note in the vicinity is the Pottery Center and the 18-hole Golf de l'Impératrice.

Sampling The Rum

The rums of Martinique are considered among the best in the world -- so fine, they have been awarded the prestigious French label "appellation d'origine contrôlée" previously reserved only for French cheeses and wines. Visitors are encouraged to sample these rums at distilleries throughout the island:
At Sainte-Marie in the north is the St. James Distillery whose Musée du Rhum has been a popular attraction for many years.
At Le François on the east coast, Rhum Clément has tours of its charming 18th-century Domaine Acajou, where U.S President George H.W. Bush and French President François Mitterand held a summit meeting in 1991.
Other distilleries include Bally, Depaz, Dillon, JM Crassous de Medeuil, La Mauny, Neisson and Trois-Rivières.
Please be aware that some of these distilleries close to visitors during the harvest period from February to June.
Open year round, Monday to Saturday, is Fonds Saint-Jacques, an important 17th-century sugar estate in the north, which houses the Musée du Père Labat, named for the famous (or infamous) Dominican monk who modernized distilling in Martinique between 1693 and 1705.
In Trois-Ilets, the Maison de la Canne museum has well-conceived exhibits that establish the links between land, sugar cane and people.

Reliving the History of Rum

In the north, at Sainte-Marie, are two very interesting stops.

The Musée du Rhum, set in the heart of the St. James sugar plantations, offers --through engravings, tools, artifacts and machinery -- an informative history of rum and sugar cane from 1765 to the present, as well as tastings of the St. James product.
Weekdays, 9 a.m.- 6 p.m.
Weekends, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Admission: free.

A few miles north is Fonds Saint-Jacques, one of the best-preserved estates on Martinique. Built by Dominican Fathers in 1658, it was the home from 1693 to 1705 of Père Labat, the French Dominican priest who also was an explorer, architect, engineer, historian, and even a soldier fighting against the British. The chapel, windmill and workshops of Fonds Saint-Jacques still remain, and the beautiful sugar cane purgery has been restored. The estate's museum, called Musée du Père Labat, is open:
Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday 9 a.m. to noon
Sunday by appointment
Admission is 2.5 € for adults, 1 € for students.

Another of Martinique's museums, the Maison de la Canne, also deals with sugar and rum. Opened in 1987, it is housed in a modern, two-level structure in the south near Trois-Ilets on the road to Pointe du Bout.
Hours: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., closed Mondays.
Admission for adults is 3 €, for children 1 €.

Also down south, in the inland town of St. Esprit, is the Musée des Arts et Traditions Populaires, located near the local marketplace and exhibiting furniture, glassware, pottery and crafts indigenous to the area.
Open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to l2:30 p.m. and 2 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Fee: 4.60 € for adults, 1.50 € for children under 16.

A more recent addition to the island's list of museums is the beachside Ecomusée de Martinique at Anse Figuier, outside Rivière-Pilote in the south. A retrospective of Martinique's history, the museum’s 19 exhibits and panels present artifacts dating from prehistoric times through early colonialism, slavery and the plantation economy to the present day mix of tradition and modernity in Martinique.
The Ecomusée opens daily except Tuesday and Sunday
from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 to 5 p.m.
Fee: 3 € for adults, 1 € for children under 12.

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You may visit the following distilleries:

• Distillerie Dillon Fort-de-France tel: (596) 596 75 20 20
• Distillerie Depaz Saint-Pierre tel: (596) 596 78 13 14
• Habitation Clement François tel: (596) 596 54 62 07
• Trois-Rivières Sainte-Luce tel: (596) 596 62 51 78
• La Mauny Rivière-Pilote tel: (596) 596 62 62 08
• Rhum Neisson Le Carbet tel: (596) 596 78 03 70
• St. James Rum Museum Sainte-Marie tel: (596) 596 69 30 02
• Bally (Habitation Lajus) Le Carbet tel: (596) 596 78 08 94
• Distillerie JM Macouba tel: (596) 596 78 92 55
• Distillerie St.Etienne Gros-Morne tel: (596) 596 57 62 68
• Distillerie La Favorite Lamentin tel: (596) 596 50 47 32

RHUM CLEMENT reacts to the evolving trends and tastes of the Cocktail Generation and creates a brand new category of rum:

PREMIERE CANNE is the world’s first ultra-premium white rum.
Combined with gorgeous and sophisticated packaging, RHUM CLEMENT’s PREMIERE CANNE is the premium spirit that will lead the market for next wave of the Cocktail Generation.

PREMIERE CANNE is made from pure Martinique sugar cane rather than molasses, lending the finished rum all of the flavor and aromatic qualities from the specific variety of sugar cane and the “terroir” where it is grown. A long reduction period results in a silky smooth elegance and superb body and balance, essential for the best cocktail.

RHUM CLEMENT produces two more fine liqueurs that extend the range
of its product line:

• Liqueur Creole SHRUBB is a blend of white and aged rum infused with spices and bitter orange peels to give it a flavor profile such as Grand Marnier.
  It is the perfect after dinner drink with ice or it can be a unique compliment to already popular cocktails such as the Clémentrita (our version of the Margarita) and the Clément Cosmo.
  Liqueur Creole SHRUBB also is widely used in cuisine and pastry.
• CLEMENT VSOP Rum has long been the identity of Rhum Clément.
  The superb alchemy between rum and wood orchestrated by the Cellar Master gives Clément VSOP its unique personality and well-deserved fame in the Caribbean.
  It is the ideal rum to sip neat in a snifter with a cigar, on the rocks or enjoy in your favorite cocktail. Along with several of our aged rums and cuvées, Clément VSOP received a gold medal at the 2004 International Spirits Competition... read more on rum Clement.

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