The Gardens of the Clement Residence

Created in the early 1990s, the Gardens of the Clément dwelling combine botany, history and art on sixteen hectares. The beauty of the park is such that the Ministry of Culture awarded it the "Remarkable Garden" label in 2015.

Located in Le François, the Gardens of the Clément dwelling are home to a wide variety of palms, trees and rare tropical plants. The tree-lined areas are surrounded by ponds, art exhibits and beautiful displays of the site's industrial past. Thanks to an audio guide provided on arrival, this beautiful visit invites you to discover an exceptional natural, industrial and architectural heritage.

The Gardens of the Clément house: a remarkable heritage

In 1887, the Crédit Foncier Colonial auctioned off the Acajou estate, which had gone bankrupt the previous year. Homère Clément, mayor of Le François and general councillor of Martinique, bought it. Sugar cane dominated the land. For thirty years, he sold his harvests to the central fabric of the commune.

Then, in 1917, he founded his own distillery on the property. Thus began the history of Rhum Clément, then called "Acajou". When the founder died in 1923, his son Charles and then his heirs took over the reins. The Clément family remained in charge until 1986. That year, Bernard and Yves Hayot, owners of the GBH group, acquired the rum factory and the"Acajou". Clément house. The entrepreneurs, originally from Le François, rehabilitated the estate to make it a place dedicated to Martinique's heritage. They transformed the old distillery into a museum on the transformation of rum. They also restored the mansion.

From now on, you will wander from the room to discover the architecture, the furniture and the art of living of yesteryear. Classified as a "Historic Monument" since 1996, it is the only Creole residence that you can visit on the Flower Island. Finally, since its paths guide you from one end of the estate to the other, the park is ideal for walking. You will be able, among other things, to discover the West Indian flora and many species of trees and rare plants. 

Visit the Gardens of the Clément house: between nature, art and history

The Gardens of the Clément dwelling are to the nature and the history of this singular place. It is also a bridge to the artistic activities supported by the Clément Foundation. The gardens replace the wasteland of the former rum factory. Thus, lovely water features replace the basins that were once used for decanting. On the way to the orchard, you can admire them from the path lined with royal palms. Further on, in the palm grove, you will discover some thirty other varieties of palm trees.

In the park, you will also admire the essential trees of the island of flowers, such as the flamboyants or the tamarind trees. In addition to the botany, if the Gardens of the Clément dwelling are so special, it is because they also host a Garden of Machines and a Garden of Sculptures.

The former, by displaying old tools, echoes the industrial past of the house.

In the second garden, contemporary works by artists from all over the world are exhibited. The Garden of Sculptures symbolizes the link between the Clément house and the Foundation. The latter, established since 2005, promotes the arts and the Caribbean cultural heritage.