French Caribbean Explorer, Multi Centre Holidays

French Caribbean Explorer

This fabulous island-hopping holiday combines French sophistication with Caribbean soul. Starting in Barbados or Antigua, you’ll explore the charm of St Martin, Guadeloupe, and Martinique, with a final stop in St Lucia. If you prefer to focus solely on the French islands, you can skip the first and final stops and spend more time on the main three islands with 5 nights in St Martin and 6 Nights split between Guadeloupe and Martinique. However, this option will mean indirect flights via Paris or Amsterdam.

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Blend French sophistication with Caribbean soul. From Barbados or Antigua, you’ll visit St Martin, Guadeloupe, Martinique and St Lucia.

3 Nights – Barbados / Antigua (Optional)
4 Nights – St Martin
3 Nights – Guadeloupe
4 Nights – Martinique
4 Nights – St Lucia (Optional)

UK – Barbados or Antigua (Optional – 3 nights): You’ll begin your French Caribbean adventure in your choice of either Barbados or Antigua, offering a great starting point with direct flights from the UK. Barbados offers a plethora of stunning secluded beaches along the Platinum Coast, including Sandy Lane, Paynes Bay, and Mullins Beach. Along its coast you’ll find luxury hotels, fabulous restaurants and rum distillery tours. The vibrant nightlife in St Lawrence Gap has a lively mix of bars and clubs, while the historic Bridgetown, offers plenty of colonial charm.

Antigua is a quieter and more laid-back option, with 365 pristine beaches and the fascinating Nelson’s Dockyard, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its turquoise waters and powdery white sands are ideal for sunbathing, swimming, water sports. Whichever island you choose, you’ll find it’s the perfect way to ease into your Caribbean journey before heading to the French islands.

Barbados or Antigua – St Martin (4 nights): A short flight will take you to the fascinating island of St Martin/Sint Maarten, the world’s smallest island shared by two nations. The French side, St Martin, has a sophisticated charm with Michelin-quality restaurants, colonial architecture and colourful markets in Marigot. It also boasts beautiful soft white sand beaches such as Orient Bay with its chic beach clubs or the quieter Friar’s Bay. For a spot of adrenalin, head to Loterie Farm, an eco-adventure park, that offers zip-lining through the forest canopy. If you want to hop over to the Dutch side of Sint Maarten, you’ll find a higher energy feel with casinos, clubs, duty-free shopping and a lively vibe. It’s also where you’ll find the iconic Maho Beach, where planes come into land just overhead. Both sides offer spectacular snorkelling spots including Mullet Bay and Cupecoy Beach.

St Martin – Guadeloupe (3 nights): Next, you’ll take a short flight from St Martin to Guadeloupe, the French Caribbean’s ‘Butterfly Island,’ shaped by two main islands linked by bridges. Grande-Terre, the eastern side, is flatter and drier with sweeping white-sand beaches, lively beach towns, and colourful markets and seaside cafes at Pointe-à-Pitre. In contrast, Basse-Terre is lusher and more mountainous and home to Guadeloupe National Park, where you can hike rainforests, spot waterfalls like Chutes du Carbet, and climb the active La Soufrière volcano. The area is also home to Deshaies, the town where TV’s Death in Paradise is filmed and you can visit iconic spots such as Katherine’s bar and the detective’s beach shack. With fine dining and agricole rum distilleries to explore, it’s a great mix of nature and French Caribbean culture.

🚢 Guadeloupe – Martinique (4 nights): You’ll continue by ferry or take a quick flight to Martinique. Martinique is often regarded as one of the Caribbean’s most sophisticated islands thanks to its deep French influence and Michelin-quality restaurant scene. With euros, French postcodes, fine wine, and a lively Creole spirit, Martinique is the perfect combination of influences. Dominated by the Mount Pelée volcano, the island’s scenery is spectacular. At its base lies Saint-Pierre, a once-beautiful town that suffered a devastating volcanic eruption in 1902 but is now filled with fascinating ruins and museums. Another highlight is the Jardin de Balata botanical gardens and the pristine white sands of Les Salines Beach. Martinique is also famous for its world-class agricole rum which can be sampled at the local distilleries. The capital, Fort-de-France, is oozing with French elegance, with boutiques, colonial buildings and cultural highlights such as the Bibliothèque Schœlcher. If you are focusing purely on the 3 French islands, you’ll return home to the UK after your stay in Martinique.

🚢 Martinique – St Lucia (Optional – 4 nights): You’ll complete your French Caribbean escape with an optional stop in St Lucia, with its convenient onward flights back to the UK. After your cultural immersion in the French islands, St Lucia offers a relaxed final stop full of Creole charm, English-speaking locals, luxury resorts, and fabulous food. The iconic Pitons (Gros Piton and Petit Piton) offer walks with spectacular views, while the rainforest-covered Enbas Saut Trail leads to hidden waterfalls and a chance to spot the colourful St Lucian parrot. You can snorkel in the vibrant coral reefs at Anse Chastanet, head out to sea for whale watching, or simply unwind on the island’s golden beaches such as Sugar Beach, set between the Pitons, or the palm-fringed Reduit Beach in the north.

St Lucia – UK: We’ll transfer you to the airport for your direct flight back to the UK.