Le Marigot

History of the Municipality of LE MARIGOT

The Capital of Pre-Columbian Peoples

Le Marigot was discovered by the Arawaks long before Christopher Columbus!

They arrived by sea, settled there, and built huts and houses.

Remnants of this past history have been found in the Arawak excavations of Séguineau and Duhaumont.

These are the famous Duhaumont deposits!

Father Delawarde even wrote, "In Le Marigot, most of the pottery is remarkably beautiful," referring to these remains.

Le Marigot, formerly a section of Le Lorrain, was established as a parish in 1663 before becoming a municipality in 1889.

Indeed, the eastern part of La Caravelle was conquered by the French in 1658 by the Marigot Company.

In 1671, it changed its name for the first time to Saint-Aubin and eventually took the name of its captain, Jaham de Vertpré.

The territory stretched for 5 km, from Charpentier Bay to the Lorrain River.

It was here that the parish would be built later, which at the time had only 926 people.

Its name was given to it by its inhabitants because of a low and marshy area located a few meters from the mouth of the Lorrain River at Anse Massé.

In 1923, under the impulse of the municipal council, it was renamed Fonds d'Or because they believed that the name Marigot referred to an unhealthy and marshy place, which did not represent the municipality.

Nevertheless, the municipality reverted to its name of Marigot in 1929.

At the end of the 19th century, the economy of Martinique was mainly based on sugar cane cultivation.

However, it faced a major economic crisis.

World sugar cane production was being challenged by sugar beet production.

It was in this context that the Le Lorrain factory, named after the river that supplied it, came into existence.

It was located about 3 km from the town of the municipality, and for many years, it ensured the economic and social development of the region.

URBANISM

Located between Sainte-Marie and Le Lorrain, the municipality of Marigot Martinique is primarily accessible via the N1.

The Martinique Transport bus network also allows you to reach this charming municipality from the Mahault intersection.

GEOGRAPHY of this Municipality in Northern Martinique

Marigot is a small municipality with 3,307 inhabitants located between Sainte-Marie and Le Lorrain.

Facing the Atlantic Ocean, this 2,163-hectare town stretches from the Charpentier River to the Lorrain River.

To the south, it extends from Morne Platine to Morne du Lorrain. While to the north, Morne l'Étang and Morne Palmiste serve as its natural boundaries.

POLITICS

Since 2014, Joseph Peraste has served as the Mayor of this municipality.

He succeeded the left-wing Mayor, Ange Lavenaire.

YOUTH

The charming municipality does not have a high school. Young people must go to the general and technological high school in Sainte-Marie or the vocational high school in Le Lorrain.

However, the municipality has 1 middle school, 2 primary schools, and 2 nursery schools.

Did you know?

The Marigot middle school is named after a famous Martinican singer, originally from the municipality, whose songs still resonate in Martinique to this day: Eugène Mona!

CULTURE

What to do in Marigot, day and night?

Escape into Nature

Activities in Marigot are not abundant but still enjoyable:

• Hiking on the Pain de Sucre trails
• Surfing

The History of Marigot Through Stone

In terms of architecture, whether it's religious or cultural monuments, the history of Martinique has left us with traces of the past.

In the category of religious monuments, you can find in Marigot:

• The Catholic Church, Saint-Pierre and Saint-Paul.

In the category of museums and iconic buildings, you can find:

• The fish market
• The Lorrain factory, also known as Habitation Lagrange.

IN SUMMARY

Marigot is a charming small municipality that was once the cradle of pre-Columbian peoples.

That being said, the municipality certainly lacks activities to further revitalize it.

However, the setting and viewpoints are worth the visit as much as its buildings!