Description

Fond Saint-Denis is located in the north of the island, close to Montagne Pelée. This small area of 24 km² on the slopes of the Pitons du Carbet used to house an observatory for monitoring the volcano. Named the Morne Cadet Observatory, it was also an important site for seismic research. Today, the Martinique Volcano Observatory (OVSM) is in Saint-Pierre. The old building is now a museum housing one of the largest seismographs in the world. Created in 1936 by engineers Quervain and Picard, it weighed 20 tonnes.

Fond Saint-Denis is also an important stopping-off point for walkers. Many footpaths cross the commune. Its biodiversity can be appreciated on a walk or by taking a dip in the ‘Saut Gendarme’ waterfall. In the same spirit, at the junction between the town and the capital (Fort-de-France), the Gorges de L’alma, a succession of waterfalls in the heart of a preserved hygrophilous forest, will delight you.

Rich in every way, this small commune is a jewel preserved away from any nuisance.

Biodiversity

Situated on the slopes of the Pitons du Carbet, Fond Saint Denis is an area where we can come face to face with trigonocephalous snakes. Like Saint Lucia, Martinique is still home to venomous snakes. They were decimated by the colonists and then by the locals, who received a bonus from the public authorities to do so. Now in danger of extinction, they are becoming increasingly rare. Only a few wild places along the river are still home to them.

Ecotourism potential

Le Morne des Cadets offered, and still offers, a breathtaking view of Montagne Pelée. Join the building, which dates back to 1936, to enjoy an exceptional panorama between the sea and the mountains.

In terms of hiking, a number of trails pass through the commune, including the famous Trace des Jésuites and one of the most difficult hikes on the island: the crossing of the Pitons du Carbet. The trail along the Canal de Beauregard or ‘slave canal’ is one of the most popular walks in the commune. Formerly an irrigation canal, it now leads through a forest of outstanding beauty and the Pitons du Carbet massif.