Le François

History of the municipality LE FRANCOIS

Le François, a slow but sure construction

1694 will be a year that will change the fate of the François. Known for being an uninhabitable place due to its marsh and mosquitoes, and difficult to access as it is located in a bay with many breakers, the territory welcomed, that year, Father Labat and his troops.

He is determined to set up a parish there, which meant an administrative and religious division at the time. The first step of this great project was obviously the construction of the church. Made of straw, earth and reed, the Church of Saint-Michel, as it was called, was unfortunately partially destroyed for the first time.

Rebuilt shortly afterwards, it was destroyed again by a hurricane in 1891 and then by a fire in 1973. To replace the old burned building, the architect Marc Alie decided to rebuild a futuristic-looking church. This one, like the previous one, did not last very long.

Today, the building housing the church is the work of Olivier Dubosc and Frederico Genovese. As is the case with many towns in Martinique, Le François was an agricultural land primarily focused on sugar cane cultivation. In the 19th century, a sugar and rum factory was built there.

Located in the village, the factory gradually became the workplace of many Martinicans. It was these same workers, accompanied by those from the factories of Sainte-Marie and La Trinité, who went on strike from February 5 to 24, 1900. The workers, cane cutters, demanded at the time a salary of 2 Francs but this was not granted to them.

This social conflict, sadly famous, is mainly known for its shooting that killed 9 people among the demonstrators, in front of the François factory.

From 1900 to 1939, a sugar crisis hit the world and Martinique was not spared. Nevertheless, François continued its activity and developed it even further. Soda and lime were produced in the Monnerot and Frégate regions.

The houses in the village as well as the church were also built and renovated thanks to the extraction activity of building stones in the quarries of the region. The region continues to develop and the population to grow. The 12,000 inhabitants were fed thanks to the different cultures that they maintain on the Pitault, Acajou and Chopotte mornes.

The port, in turn, welcomes American and European boats that come to load up on sugar and rum and unload fertilizer and coal, among other things. The goods brought by the boats were then transported to the village by barges, or redistributed to Robert and all the dwellings on the Atlantic coast.

After the Second World War, and up until 1975, the culture of cane was replaced by the culture of banana in order to revive the economy.

URBANISM

A very well served city!

The city of François is accessible by the RN6 from Fort-de-France.

The departmental roads D30 and D31 cross the commune to join the national road.

The commune can also be regained by :

• the D18 from Le Vauclin
• the D16 from the Saint- Esprit
• the D29 from Le Robert

Finally, the I and P1 lines of the Sudlib public transport network also provide access to the François.

GEOGRAPHY of this municipality in the south of Martinique

Le François Martinique has 17,524 inhabitants spread over 5 3.93 km². It is the 3rd largest commune of Martinique.

The municipality with its eight islets (Oscar, Thierry, Anonyme, Pelé, Frégate, Long, Lapin and Lavigne) is divided into 31 districts: 7 coastal and 24 rural.

A commune on the Atlantic coast, Le François is bordered by the ocean to the east, Le Lamentin and Ducos to the west, Le Robert to the north, to the southwest by Saint-Esprit and to the southeast by Le Vauclin.

Coral reefs called “Cayes” emerge in the bay of François. These are due to an uplift movement affecting the latter.

Politics

Something new in the air!

After 49 years at the head of the municipality, the Popular Franciscan Movement has given way to the various leftists represented by Samuel Tavernier, elected in March 2020.

YOUTH

A city with plenty of choice

The Francois, whose demography is quite dense, includes :

• 7 Primary Schools ;
• 7 preschools ;
• 2 colleges ;
• 1 polyvalent school.

CULTURE

What to do in François, day and night ?

In terms of activities, the city of François is not lacking anything.

Whether nautical or terrestrial, there is something for everyone.

Escape to nature

• Walks in the sea
• Excursions on the Atlantic coast and the islets
• Sports activities
• Country walks
• Points of view
• Hikes through the hills and plains
• Walks through sugar cane and/or banana plantations
• Rooster fights in the Pitts
• Training of round skiffs
• Shopping for fruits, vegetables and spices at the covered market
• Half and full days at Josephine’s bathtub (large stretch of white sand, sandy shoal in the middle of the ilets where you can walk)
• Water activities or swimming on the beach of Cap Est

The history of François through the stone

In terms of architecture, whether religious or cultural monuments, the history of Martinique has left us imprints of the past.

In the category of religious monuments, we find in François :

• The Church of Saint-François

In the museum category, you can find in François :

• the Clément house
• the ruins of the old factory used as a memorial
• the house of Oscar Island
• housing Reunion
• The Town Hall dating from 1901

In the culture and entertainment category, you will find in François :

• The International Festival of Haute-Taille and Quadrille
• The Appaloos’Arena Martinique

Appellation “Monument Historique” or “Patrimoine du 20e siècle" Many buildings, including those mentioned above, are protected by “Monument Historique” or “Patrimoine du 20e siècle” designations.

Among these distinctions, there are, among others:

• l’Clement housing
• the house of Oscar Island
• housing Reunion

IN SUMMARY

Easily accessible, Le François has everything to please, but the sargassum has a hard time of it.

Commune of the round yoles, cradle of the Haute-Taille, it is often criticized for its posh district nicknamed Békéland.

However, this commune invests a lot of means, especially for youth and culture.

Its numerous islets and its white bottoms with warm waters remain very appreciated and frequented by the local and tourist population.

Flowered with bougainvilleas, among others, and animated, the commune of the south-east of Martinique is becoming more and more beautiful day by day.