USINE SUCRIÈRE DU GALION

Founded in the ^17th century, the Usine de Galion is Martinique's last and only remaining sugar factory, and the timeless guardian of this century-old memory. For several centuries, Martinique's economy was based almost exclusively on the cultivation and processing of sugar cane. Today, the factory produces a wide range of sugars, including brown sugar and major flavors. Under a mixed economy, it also produces rum. Owned by the Dubuc family in 1849, it was bought by Eugène Eustache, a Belgian merchant associated with Emile Bougenot, an engineer who controlled seven of Martinique's eleven sugar factories at the time. At the center of the factory stands a Hindu temple, testimony to the strong presence of Indian workers on the island (late ^19th century), who obtained permission to build their place of worship. Legend has it that, following a severe drought, an Indian priest organized a ceremony in honor of the Hindu gods, and the rains came. The factory can be visited between February and June, during the sugar harvest. The tour is particularly interesting. Please note that children under the age of six are not admitted.

Good to know: closed shoes are mandatory! At the end of this tasty tour, you can visit the factory store to taste and discover the different varieties of sugar currently marketed by the Galion factory, and try to unravel the mysteries of production.