Souvenirs to bring back from Martinique |

Rums and punches

Essential to bring back from Martinique, white and aged AOC rums, arranged rums, punches, will naturally find their place in your suitcase. However, there are maximum authorized quantities (1L per person says the law!) but tolerance is the order of the day in the West Indies… You can buy your rum in rum shops and distilleries as well as in supermarkets.

knowing that a bottle weighs between 1.5kg and 2kg.

Lele wood

This thin wooden rod of 15 to 25 cm – one end of which is composed of 5 short horizontal branches – presenting itself in the shape of a star is the essential accessory to the preparation of ti-punch. From the Quararibea Turbinata tree found throughout the Caribbean, it comes without bark or leaves in the trade. You can find it in distilleries and souvenir stores. In Creole bwa lélé means to stir, to mix.

Market of Marin Bâton lélé Marchande Martinique

Spices

Cinnamon, vanilla, India wood, nutmeg, colombo mix, browning seeds: stock up on spices and aromatics at markets and delicatessens. As a gift or to flavour your dishes, they are inseparable from Creole cuisine.

The spices of Creole cuisine

Baton kako Market Fort-de-france Martinique

Coffee

Once abandoned for bananas and sugarcane, coffee growing is making a comeback in Martinique. In 2017, under the aegis of the Collectivité Territoriale de la Martinique, the Parc Naturel de la Martinique and in association with CIRAD, the project was launched to create a coffee industry for the production of a coffee of excellence from the “Arabica Typica” variety introduced in Martinique in the 18th century. A niche product still not widely marketed but enthusiasts will not fail to buy a packet of 100% Martinique coffee as a souvenir…

Chocolate

Our artisans of good taste offer chocolates associated with local products (fruits, spices…). You can also bring back a gwo kako (cocoa stick), a local specialty that is essential for making Caribbean hot chocolate. Only a small amount of 100% Martinique origin chocolate is available, whose cultivation in filière d’excellence was relaunched in 2015 by the Valcaco association.

Confectionery

Jams (coconut, banana, guava, pineapple, rum…), farines (cassava, coconut, breadfruit, banana, sweet potato…) and other sweets such as filibos,lotchios,sweet coconut,country nougat,confited fruits and fruit pastes with local flavors are appreciated confections, as a gift, a souvenir or just for the sake of a treat!

Confectionery Candied fruits Regional products Martinique

Confectionery Lotchio Coconut bar Candied fruits Regional products Martinique

Madras

Arriving in Martinique after the abolition of slavery with Indian labor immigration, the madras fabric has become emblematic of the West Indies Guyana. Appreciated for its bright colors – red, yellow, green, blue – it is used in traditional dresses. Today we find tablecloths, tea towels, shirts, dolls and a whole lot of objects in this fabric. Easy to find in markets, souvenir stores, fabric stores, haberdashers. You can buy it by the meter…

Bakoua hat

This hat made with the leaves of the plant also Pandanus known as Bakoua. Basket makers continue to make it using a fairly sophisticated technique, particularly in Morne des Esses.

Bakoua appeals to Martiniqueans and tourists alike. It can be found at the big market in Fort de France and at most markets.

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Bakoua Hats Market Fort-de-france Martinique

Tropical Flowers

Prepared and packaged with care by the island’s growers, bouquets of tropical flowers remain a popular gift. They can be found at markets, in stores, and delivered over the internet.

Discover the tropical flowers that will compose your bouquet

Fragrances

Vanilla, coconut, frangipani… The parfumes made artisanally in Martinique deserve to be known. Created by perfumer noses, don’t forget to slip a few pretty bottles of them into your suitcase.

Soap Parfum des iles Shopping Martinique

Handcrafted soaps

As with perfumes, local fruits and flowers are widely used in the artisanal soap making. It’s a gift that is always appreciated, original and doesn’t take up much space in the luggage…

Potier Village de la Poterie Trois-Îlets Martinique

Local craftsmanship

Candles, pottery, ceramics, sculptures, paintings, basketry, gourds… Trust our creative artisans for unique and original pieces “made in Martinique”.

Everyday items or artists’ works: original and authentic gifts!

Ceramic candle Ysnay Lamentin Martinique