AT A GLANCE
Why go?
L'Anse à l'Âne is a long, postcard-perfect crescent of white sand on Martinique's sheltered Caribbean coast, nestled between Pointe du Bout and Les Anses d'Arlet in the commune of Les Trois-Îlets. Its calm turquoise waters face the tiny Îlet à Ramiers and the mouth of Fort-de-France Bay, making it one of the island's most scenic and swimmable beaches.↗↗
At 400 meters, the beach offers plenty of space, lined with hotels and small seaside restaurants where you can eat fresh local flavors with your feet in the sand. A maritime shuttle connects L'Anse à l'Âne directly to Fort-de-France throughout the day, and a hiking trail along the right side of the cove leads to neighboring Anse Mitan with panoramic bay views.↗↗
The Setting
L'Anse à l'Âne stretches along the southern shore of Fort-de-France Bay's mouth, where the Caribbean Sea meets one of the Caribbean's great natural harbors. The view from the sand is framed by the low green silhouette of Îlet à Ramiers offshore to the left, and the distant city skyline of Fort-de-France to the right. The sea here is famously placid—no significant waves or currents—which makes the water feel more like a warm, inviting pool than an open ocean.
