La Savane

La Savane park

The Fort-de-France audio-guided tour takes you to La Savane park, a vast green expanse of five hectares that stretches between the city, the Saint-Louis fort and the sea, at the heart of the life of the people of Fort-de-France.

From a parade ground to a garden

La Savane was originally only a marshy zone gained by the sea and the mangrove. In the eighteenth century, the space was transformed into a parade ground for the soldiers of the Saint-Louis fort, before the population appropriated it as a place of walking. In 1830, under Louis-Philippe, the square lost its military vocation to become a true garden, planted with plant species of the West Indies. Damaged by the cyclone of 1891, the park was restored and then enlarged in 1935. One finds there a statue of Joséphine de Beauharnais as well as a statue of Pierre Belain d'Esnambuc, who led the French settlement on the island. La Savane remains today the great gathering place of Fort-de-France.

What there is to see

La Savane park offers a pleasant green breathing space in the heart of the capital, between lawns, shaded paths and palm trees, facing the Saint-Louis fort and the bay. One comes across statues, a bandstand and monuments, and one tastes the Fort-de-France atmosphere. It is the ideal starting point to explore the town centre and a lively place, the scene of numerous events.

Practical information

La Savane park is in the very centre of Fort-de-France, between the sea and the Saint-Louis fort. An open-air public space, it can be walked freely at all hours and on the level, along the walk.

What was the original function of La Savane?

A parade ground for the soldiers of the Saint-Louis fort, before becoming a public garden in 1830 under Louis-Philippe.

What statues are found at La Savane?

Notably a statue of Joséphine de Beauharnais and a statue of Pierre Belain d'Esnambuc, linked to the beginnings of the colonisation of the island.