As you meander north along Martinique’s Caribbean coast, the hills get closer and the sea begins to flash through the palm trees and rooftops.
Then you can see it.
An arc of black sand stretches along the coastline, surrounded by thick green cliffs and leaning coconut palms. You slow down your car without even realizing it. This is Anse Latouche.
When you step outside, your first instinct is to look down. The sand beneath your feet is volcanic, dark and warm, deep char that seems to glow against the blue water. This is not a beach you can scroll past on a postcard shelf. It’s the kind you remember because the moment you touch it, it feels different.
Across the quiet coastal road is the lovely little Madicréoles hotel, as if it was put there for those who understand value when they see it.
But we’ll get to it.
First, the beach.
As you walk towards the water, the contrast of colors – black sand, white foam, and turquoise Caribbean Sea – stops you for a moment. Martinique’s northern coast has a pristine feel, shaped by the island’s volcanic history and softened by years of salt air and sun. The cliffs surrounding Anse Latouche are lush and dramatic, rising with a layer of green behind the shore.
It feels hidden despite being easily reachable.
No cruise crowds. There are no rental chairs lined up. No pounding music. The only sounds you can hear are the waves crashing and the occasional palm fronds rustling overhead. When you lay down your towel, you immediately understand the rhythm of this place. swim. Let it dry. repeat
The water here is clear and refreshing, with just enough movement to remind you that you’re in the open Caribbean Sea. When you float on your back and look at the coast, the black sand beach and green hills give you a movie-like feel.
You start to ask yourself why more people aren’t talking about this beach.
The north of Martinique has always had a quieter reputation than the more sophisticated southern resorts. This is where Mount Pelée dominates the skyline and fishing villages still form the coastline. Anse Latouche reflects that personality. It’s really beautiful. Yes. But it’s also grounded, unpretentious and surprisingly calming.
And then there’s convenience.
After getting enough sunlight, all you have to do is cross the street.
Madicréoles is by no means a fancy hotel. This is a beach residence in the truest sense of the word. It is a cozy and practical low-rise building in every way. Colorful buildings peek out from behind tropical landscaping. Bougainvillea climbs along the ledge. You will feel a comfortable atmosphere from the moment you enter.
The apartment-style rooms have everything you need, including comfortable beds, kitchenettes and a terrace where you can sit back and relax with a cold bottle of French rosé from a nearby store. This is Martinique, after all. French Caribbean life comes with good bread, good cheese and very good wine (and rum, of course).
You can hear the sound of the sea from the terrace.
That’s when it really clicks.
There is no need for a large beach complex when the beach itself is this close. If you grab your towel and cross the street again, your feet will be in the sand again within seconds.
It’s a simple formula.
Morning swim before breakfast. Enjoy coffee on the terrace. Take a walk along the coastline as fishermen set off in their small boats. Swim again just before sunset, as the light softens and the black sand takes on a silver tone under the fading sky.
Everything goes together better with Ti’ Punch, and I recommend using Rhum Depaz.
I’ve seen plenty of beaches throughout the Caribbean, from powdery white beaches to pink crescent beaches and everything in between. There is something about black sand beaches that leaves a lasting impression. Maybe it’s scarcity. Maybe it’s a drama. Or maybe it’s just a way to make the blue water look brighter.
Anse Latouche feels basic.
You look up and see green hills rising behind you. You look out and see nothing but open water stretching towards Dominica in the distance. There’s a sense of space here where you can breathe without feeling isolated. At the edge of the sand is a small and large food shack called Chez Maurice. Fish, chicken. There are no plates.
Families prepare a small picnic under the tree. Couples walk along the coastline holding hands. Some adventurous swimmers venture further out, while others stay close to shore and let the waves roll gently.
No one is in a hurry. And perhaps that is true luxury.
Returning to Madicréoles, its value becomes clear. Martinique is home to grand resorts and sophisticated retreats, but there’s something deeply satisfying about staying somewhere that lets you experience the island in excess. You have comfort. You have proximity. You have independence.
Also across the street is one of the most unique beaches on the island.
As the sun begins to go behind the hills, we head back to the sand one last time. The sky changes from bright blue to soft gold and then streaks of pink and purple. The water reflects everything, and the dark coastline adds contrast to the entire scene.
You stand there barefoot for a moment. Salt remains on the skin.
There is black sand under your feet. Everything is good.
