The House of the Cane, a discovery of the history around the sugar cane

Welcome to the municipality of the Trois-Ilets, mainly turned on tourism with its areas of Anse Mitan, Anse à l’Âne and Pointe du Bout. The hotels, restaurants, shops and bars are concentrated in these places where you will have the opportunity to discover the Creole village and the village of La Poterie to restore and buy local products and souvenirs. In terms of activity, you will find in this town diving clubs, catamaran excursions, paddle trips, beaches, casino, tree climbing, hiking (Hauts de la Pagerie) or golf courses. In terms of service, a post office and banks are located in the municipality. You will find cultural outings (Museum of the Pagerie or Museum of the Cane).

Itinerary

To visit the Museum of Cane, leaving from Fort-de-France, join the A1 speedway then go towards the south of the island (N5). you will go through two roundabouts in the town of Ducos (activity zones) then two other roundabouts in the town of Rivière-Salée. Take the exit just after this last roundabout, indicating the direction of Trois-Îlets (D7). After 10 minutes drive, you will pass the sign Mangofil, then the Village of Pottery and you will arrive in front of the Museum of the Cane taking on your right.

Maison de la Canne

You can park easily, the space is not arranged but spacious enough to find room easily. The rest of the tour is done on foot by heading to the portal to access the Museum site.

The Museum of the Cane opens its doors most of the year from Tuesday to Saturday from 8:30 am to 5 pm and Sunday from 9 am to 5 pm.

In less touristic period (late August to mid-October), the Museum changes its schedule.

If you wish to visit the Museum of the Cane it costs 4 euros per adult, 1 euros per students, 2 euros for people with disabilities and people over 65 years.

What you should know…

The House of the Cane was created in 1987 by the Martinique Association of the House of the Cane and it took place in the buildings and on the site of the old distillery of Vatable.

In 1991, the House of the Cane became heritage of the Regional Council of Martinique.

This museum tells you about the last centuries, the history of sugar cane, incorporating also the history of the people of Martinique with these first inhabitants (the Caribbean) and their invasions by the Arawaks, then the colonization and the slavery until its abolition and finally the economic boom of sweets to AOC rum houses that we know and which are known for some, worldwide.

Many documents, models, objects and representations of period objects are displayed on two floors to accompany you in your journey through time. You will also have many explanations about the lives of slaves in plantations, their origins and what they lived on a daily basis in the homes that exploited them.

Finally, you will know the secrets of making sugar and rum thanks to sugar cane and its different varieties that makes it a product of everyday life in Martinique.

It is present in the history and the Creole culture, it is present on the earth of the island because of its economic interest and it is allows an exhibition at the world level because of its aroma that it gives thanks to rum A.O.C.

I have no picture to offer you different models or documents because it is forbidden to take pictures during your visit to the Museum.

Outside the museum, you will find on the site, different pieces of steam engines under wooden huts. These exhibitions plunge us into the history of railways in Martinique used to transport goods and cane to sweets and rum.

Take the opportunity to do the tour of the site to discover the mangrove and the different species of plants or shrubs planted along the trail. You can rest along the Vatable River as well.

Have a good visit and do not hesitate to stroll through the Vatable Forest located next door, leaving the site, turn directly to your right to see a pontoon that will take you naturally into the mangrove and the path of the promenade.

Here is an internet link, if you wish to discover other sites on the history and culture of Martinique around slavery. This site lists other monuments or places, on the island of flowers, in memory of slaves.

Do not hesitate to post you commentaries or to ask for information on contact@domloisirsetculture.fr.

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Dom Loisirs et Culture at your service.

OLIVIER Damien, your humble guide

The Dom Loisirs and Culture team is committed to raising awareness of the protection of the biodiversity of the overseas departments.