Fort-de-France

Fort-de-France is a French city located in the French department of overseas of the Martinique. Its inhabitants are called the Foyalais .

It is the Jean Governor of Baath which founds in 1669 the town of Fort de France. But it is its successor the Count de Blénac who will complete the construction of the city and strong sound.

Fort de France is the chief town of the colony then department of Martinique since 1692. At Fort de France is the Prefecture, the Hotel of the Department, the Hotel of the Area, the Archbishop's palace, the University hospital, the Staff of the armed forces in Antille-Guyana, the Law courts, the Court of Bankruptcy and the Court of Appeal.

It is as at Fort de France as the most important commercial port of Martinique is. The wearing of Fort de France is distributed on several sites (the terminal containers of the Points of the Thrushes, the quays of Bay of the Turrets (northern and southern), the western quay, the dry dock and the terminal of cruisings of the Simon Point. The Chamber of commerce and of Industry of Martinique manages the Wearing of Fort de France since 1964.

Geography

It is a very wide commune since certain districts (as Balata) are very far away from the downtown area. Topography is very varied: one passes from a basin on the sea front to a very mountainous zone while returning in the grounds.

History

Choice of the site

Whereas the the Caribbean had privileged the coast with the wind (Atlantic coast), the establishment of the French colonists is done since 1635 on the Coast-under-the-wind (Caribbean coast). It is on the site of Saint-Pierre, by the construction of one fort to the mouth of the river Roxelane, which begins the French presence. It is strong Saint-Pierre.Rapidement, the colonists are interested “in the entry of largest bay of the isle”, and build a fort palisades some that they name Extremely-Royal. In a context of conflicts with the the Caribbean, the Dutchmen and the English, the site of Extremely-Royal reveals its importance in spite of the unhealthy climate of the surrounding marshes. Indeed, the site is easy to defend and protected well from the storms, which is not the case of Saint-Pierre. It is thus decided to build there a city Extremely-Royal, whose pronunciation in Creole will give the name of the inhabitants of Fort-de-France: Foyalais.

Mayors of Fort de France of 1883 to 2001

1883 to 1888: Jules Fanfan
1888 to 1896: Osman Duquesnay
1896 to 1900: Henri Audemar
1900 to 1907: Severe Victor
1907 to 1908: Antoine Siger (assassinated the 4/29/1908)
1908 to 1919: Severe Victor
1919 to 1924: Louis Saint-Cyr military school
1924 to 1941: Severe Victor
1941 to 1943: Jean de Laguarigue de Survilliers and Etienne de Montestruc are named by the Admiral Robert, representing in Martinique of the Régime of Vichy.
1943 to 1945: Severe Victor
1945 to 2001: Aime Césaire (mayor during 56 years)
Since 2001: Serge Letchimy

Urban development and competition with Saint-Pierre

However, the decision to establish a city in a so inhospitable place does not achieve the unanimity. The movable ground does not support constructions and the air of the marshes involves a strong mortality by the Malaria. Moreover, of the natural disasters or human destroy the city on several occasions:

In 1692, the seat of the general Government as well as the Palate of the Governor had been transferred from Saint-Pierre to Fort de France.
the January 11th 1839, an earthquake devastates the city.
the June 22nd 1890, a large fire destroys the three quarters of the colonial city, the near total of: 1600 built houses of wood to mitigate the consequences of a future seism, the market, the cathedral.
the August 18th 1891, a cyclone falls down on the city and kills nearly 400 people.

Finally Fort-de-France, city administrative and military, suffers from the competition of Saint-Pierre, more populated and enriched by the trade and the trade.

Irony of fate, it is another natural disaster which definitively will devote Fort-de-France in its role of first city of the island: the eruption of the Peeled Mountain, which devastates Saint-Pierre the May 8th 1902.

Fort-de-France at the 20th century

The eruption of the Peeled Montagne will devote Fort-de-France like capital of the island. New districts are cleansed then built, giving to the city its current aspect. In forty years, triple population, passing from 16 000 inhabitants in 1894 with more 52 000 in 1936, then 66 000 in 1946 and finally 94 000 in 2003, is approximately 25 % of the inhabitants of the island (which counts 400.000 inhabitants in 2006).

Economy

Fort-de-France is the 5th port with containers of France, and the first basin of use of the overseas French.

Fort de France is the seat of the Chamber of commerce and industry of Martinique. It manages CFA, the EGC, the port of the city, the airport (International airport Martinique Aimé Césaire), the Marina Pointe End, the harbor station inter-islands and the terminal cruising of Martinique.

Administration

the Mayor of Fort de France since March 18th, 2001: Serge Letchimy (PPM)

- 1st assistant: Raymond Saint-Louis-Augustin
- 2nd assistant: Yvon Pacquit
- 3rd assistant: Genevieve Chanteur
- 4th assistant: Simone Vaton
- 5th assistant: Catherine Conconne
- 6th assistant: Jacob Narayadou
- 7th assistant: Jean Michel Jean Baptist
- 8th assistant: Charles-Henri Michaux
- 9th assistant: Patricia Beuse
- 10th assistant: Patricia Milia
- 11th assistant: Eliane Perronnette
- 12th assistant: Alex Cypria
- 13th assistant: Frantz Thodiard
- 14th assistant: Daniel Valérius
- 15th assistant: Nebon
Marie-elects

the municipal council is composed of 53 elected officials including 15 assistant (Majority PPM: 41 elected officials - Opposition MIM: 10 elected officials and the line UMP: 2 elected officials).

the city is divided into ten cantons:

the 1st canton counts 7 781 inhabitants; Its general adviser is Claude Cayol (RDM) since March 17th, 1985
the 2nd canton counts 3 111 inhabitants; Its general adviser is Pierre Suédile (RDM) since March 27th, 1994
the 3rd canton counts 3 342 inhabitants; Its general adviser is Johnny Hajjar (PPM) since March 28th, 2004
the 4th canton counts 6 006 inhabitants; Its general adviser is Noah Malouda (Palima) since March 28th, 2004
the 5th canton counts 6 468 inhabitants; Its general adviser is Patrick Flériag (PPM) since March 18th, 2001
the 6th canton counts 11 257 inhabitants; Its general adviser is Catherine Conconne (PPM) since March 21st, 2004
the 7th canton counts 21 815 inhabitants; Its general adviser is Francis Carole (Palima) since March 18th, 2001
the 8th canton counts 12 374 inhabitants; Its general adviser is Genevieve Chanteur (RDM) since March 28th, 2004
the 9th canton counts 10 900 inhabitants; Its general adviser is Yves-Andre Joseph (Various left) since March 22nd, 1992
the 10th canton counts 10 995 inhabitants. Its general adviser is Claude Lise (RDM) since March 21st, 1982

Famous characters

Aime Césaire (1913-), professor of letters, mayor of the town of 1945 to 2001, one of the great writers and West-Indian poets and one of the founding fathers of the Négritude;
Patrick Chamoiseau (1953-), writer, Price Goncourt in 1992;
Severe Victor (1867-1957), lawyer, several times mayor of Fort-de-France between 1900 and 1945.
Camille Darsières (1932 -2006), lawyer, former deputy and President of the District council of Martinique.
Cyrille Bissette (1795-1858) One of the fathers of the abolition of slavery in Martinique and deputy of 1848 to 1851
Pierre Aliker (1907-), doctor, 1st assistant of the mayor of Fort-de-France of 1957 to 2001.
Frantz Fanon (1925-1961), doctor and writer, author of black Skins, masks white .
Rene Maran (1887-1960), writer, Price Goncourt in 1921.
Osman Duquesnay (1846-1923), doctor, deputy and mayor of Fort de France of 1888 to 1896
Ernest Deproge (1850-1921), lawyer, president of the General advice and deputy of 1882 to 1898
Emile Maurice (1910-1993), teacher, president of the General advice of 1970 to 1992
Victor Sanded (1911-1997), lawyer, senator, deputy of Martinique of 1958 to 1986

Archbishop's palace

Archdiocese of Fort-de-France

Tourist monuments and places

the Schoelcher library;
Strong Saint-Louis;
the cathedral Saint-Louis;
the garden of Savanna;
Law courts;
the statue of the Joséphine Empress;
the church of Redoute;
the basilica Montmartre de Balata;
the floral garden.

Twinning

References

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