St. Pierre lies at the foot of Mt. Pelee Volcano which last erupted on May 8th, Ascension Day, 1902. At this time, St. Pierre with a population of 30,000 people was known as the Paris of the Caribbean. The volcano gave plenty of warning but the Govenor on the island couldn't cope with the huge responsibility of evacuating Martinique's most important city. He desperately wanted the problem to go away and was encouraged to sit tight by most of the planters and business leaders who would have suffered financial losses if the city were evacuated. The side of the volcano facing St. Pierre glowed red and burst open releasing a giant fireball of superheated gas that flowed down over the city releasing more energy than an atomic bomb. All that remained were smoking ruins. An estimated 29,933 people burned to death, leaving only 2 survivors - one guy who was down in his cellar and Cyparis who was imprisioned for murder in a stone cell. Twelve ships in the bay were destroyed many ruins still remain. Post disaster buildings have been built onto old structures. Today there are approximately 3,000 inhabitants in the city. Anchored at the base of the mountain was breathtaking.

The town of St. Pierre, Martinique

Nummy croissants and french pastries.

French West Indies dress.

Remains of the theater.