A guided tour to rediscover Fort-de-France
On Saturday, September 20, 2025, as part of the European Heritage Days the association Abitē guided the public into the heart of Fort-de-France for a guided tour of the city’s modernist heritage. For over two hours, participants wandered the streets of Martinique’s capital, discovering buildings emblematic of the modern movement, between architectural innovations, historical accounts and questions about the future of this heritage.
Louis Caillat's Antilles building
The European Heritage Days itinerary begins in front of the Antilles building at 42-44 rue Garnier-Pagès. Built in 1955 by architect Louis Caillat for the “Monplaisir group”. This seven-storey complex is one of Martinique’s first modern residential buildings.
Conceived in the tradition of Le Corbusier’s experiments “Le Corbusier” it combines shops, offices and housing. Its two elevators, rare at the time, airy walkways, entrance “verandas” and sunshades bear witness to the adaptation of modernist principles to the tropical climate. Oriented to catch the trade winds, the building offers natural ventilation of the apartments and framed views of the harbor and cathedral. A highlight of these European Heritage Days in the heart of Fort-de-France.
From the BDAF to the Merlande building: early modern daring
As you move through the city, your visit stops in front of the former headquarters of the “Banque de Développement des Antilles Françaises (BDAF)”.. Built in 1931 (Banque de la Martinique, future BDAF), it is often cited as an early example of modernism in Fort-de-France, even though its facades have undergone several alterations.
Further on, the Merlande building marks a commercial turning point. Built to house the department store “Au Printemps” department store, then renamed “Galeries Lafayette”, it embodies the emergence of an urban modernity focused on consumerism. Its roof terrace, conceived as a usable space, illustrates the innovation of modernism: transforming the roof into a “fifth façade”. It was in this spirit that the European Heritage Days reminded us of the importance of preserving the city’s commercial memory.
Plein Ciel and ventilated facades
Plein Ciel building on rue Victor-Schœlcher features a different typology: shops on the first floor, integrated parking, offices and housing on the upper floors. Its sunshade protect the west facade, while the side overlooking the Savane is more enclosed. Damaged by the 2007 earthquake, the building was reinforced with a metal structure, modifying its initial appearance.
Nearby, another building catches the eye. Known as the Mansour Chaussures building, its façade is punctuated by concrete reliefs that also serve as natural ventilation. The initials “LC” stand for the developer who financed the building, not for an architect. Claustras and original wooden joinery recall the concern to adapt modernism to local resources, a message that the European Heritage Days have chosen to highlight.
A rare example of Brutalist architecture
Rue Victor-Schœlcher, the tour pauses in front of the “Maison des Combattants”. Erected between 1970 and 1980, this building illustrates the Brutalist trend with its raw concrete and massive forms. Little represented in Martinique, this style remains a precious testimony to an international architectural era. Its spotlight during the European Heritage Days underlines just how much this discreet heritage deserves to be recognized.
The Church of Christ the King in Bethlehem: faith and modernity
The Church of Christ the King in Bethlehem built in the 1960s by architect Maurice de Lavigne Sainte-Suzanne is a major milestone. Inspired by the work of Oscar Niemeyer and marked by the reforms of the Second Vatican Council, it translates the spirit of liturgical openness into tropical architecture: sunshades and colorful light effects.
Although recent alterations (minieries and closures added in the 1990s) have altered its original purity, the church remains a jewel of Martinican religious modernism. Its presentation on the occasion of the European Heritage Days aroused great emotion among visitors.
Right next door, the “Mutualité” also catches the eye. This building, marked by the influences of art deco and modernism, is an example of a social building emblematic of the 1950s, designed to embody solidarity and progress.
La Rotonde and Hôtel Impératrice: two symbols face to face
Along the Rue de la Liberté, the tour stops in front of “La Rotonde”. Designed by Louis Caillat in 1942, this office building has been completely refurbished to become the headquarters of Crédit Agricole. Under the direction of architect Bernard Leclercq the structure was rebuilt identically and raised. This project is presented as a model: preserving the foundations and adapting rather than demolishing.
A little further on, the “Hôtel Impératrice” built in the 1940s-1950s by the Glaudon family family, exemplifies seaside modernism. Its large terraces overlooking the sea, balconies and natural ventilation recall the golden age of Caribbean touristification. As part of the European Heritage Days, this monument was seen as a symbol of Fort-de-France’s openness to the world.
The sea department and the hotel of the Collectivité Territorial de Martinique in Fort-de-France
The guide emphasized the place of concrete in Caribbean urban planning: a material that has enabled a veritable constructive revolution, but also a major source of CO₂ emissions. This stop served as a reminder of the need, today, to diversify materials, to integrate wood and metal to a greater extent, and to design a city that is more sustainable and respectful of its environment.
The old Post Office: a giant in waiting
Not far away, the old post office since the 2007 earthquake, stands out for its sheer mass. With almost 3,000 m² of floor space, the building is the subject of heated debate. For the association Abitē, the solution is clear: rather than destroying the building and generating tons of waste, it should be rehabilitated in an earthquake-resistant, less costly and more environmentally-friendly way. A message that resonates perfectly with the spirit of the European Heritage Days, which invite us to rethink the future of our heritage.
The tour also included the “Maison des Syndicats”, designed by architect Marcel Salasc and built in 1948. Still in use for its original function, it embodies the continuity of a modernist building that remains vibrant in the heart of the city.
L'Imprimerie Officielle: a bitter farewell
The tour ends in front of the “Imprimerie Officielle” built in 1936 by engineer Donat Honoré. Designed to print government documents, it housed workshops, offices, storage galleries and the director’s house.
Labelled Outstanding Contemporary Architecture, the building is scheduled for demolition in the days following the visit. A traffic circle project is due to take its place. For the Abitē association, the loss is immense: this site could have become a writers’ house, a city museum or a civic space. The final group photo, taken in front of its facade, seals a collective farewell to a major witness to modern heritage, reminding us that every edition of the European Heritage Days is also a moment of vigilance.
Modernist heritage and the city's future
From the Antilles building to the Imprimerie Officielle, this guided tour revealed the richness and fragility of Fort-de-France’s modernist heritage of Fort-de-France. Each stop told the story of an era, and posed a question for today: should we preserve, rehabilitate or demolish?
Through the stories of Louis Caillat, Maurice de Lavigne Sainte-Suzanne or Donat Honoré, the capital of Martinique reveals a little-known face of inventive tropical modernity. More than an architectural tour, the visit posed a question: what future can we give to the architecture that has shaped the city, and that could still nourish it tomorrow?
And that’s what the European Heritage Days are all about: walking, observing, discussing and, above all, sharing.
