Key West and the Keys archipelago

A string of islands in the very south of Florida, the Keys form a long archipelago of almost 180km in the shape of a crescent moon, set in the clear, translucent waters of the Gulf of Mexico. A taste of the Caribbean!

There are 1,700 islands and islets in the Keys, but only around thirty are inhabited. The largest in terms of population are Key West, the capital (population 25,000), which is very close to Cuba (150km away), and Marathon (population 8,000). Key Largo is considered to be the island closest to the mainland, as Key Biscayne, a very chic neighbour of Miami Beach and linked by a bridge to the Miami metropolitan area, is no longer part of the archipelago from a practical point of view.

For a long time, the Keys were a haven for Caribbean pirates and smugglers. They became part of the United States in 1845. Key West developed quietly and without excess until a real tourist industry took off: the white sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters of the Keys attracted the attention of creative minds in search of freedom, a trait that is still felt today in the archipelago.

Fortunately, the Keys are so easy to get to that they have been spared the overdevelopment that has plagued parts of Florida's coastline. There are no tall buildings here, but rather small colonial-style wooden houses, with a touch of Art Deco here and there: the charm of the Keys is unrivalled!

In 1938, the Overseas Highway was built through the mangroves to link the Keys to the mainland: it took 42 bridges to connect them all! At certain points, such as between the Middle Keys and the Lower Keys, the gap between the islands widened, necessitating impressive engineering structures: the spectacular Seven Miles Bridge is one of the longest bridges in the world!

Travelling the Overseas Highway from end to end is a memorable experience in itself. Along the way, don't hesitate to stop off at the various Keys you pass: the atmosphere varies from one island to the next, as do the landscapes. A number of natural parks provide the pretext for a variety of adventures in the Keys, at the heart of which the sea is omnipresent.

As soon as you enter the archipelago at Key Largo, the magnificent coral reefs of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, 95% underwater, can be discovered by scuba diving or on a glass-bottomed boat. Kayak along the mangroves...

Change of scenery on No Name Key, with the National Key Deer Refuge, where you can try to spot a Keys deer in the woods, an endangered species endemic to the archipelago. Indian Key Historic State Park offers a glimpse into the past of its small island, while Dry Tortugas National Park, isolated and difficult to access, is made up of remote islets where a rich marine fauna flourishes in an unspoilt setting.

The pleasures of the beach are never far away in the Keys: the white sands of Bahia Honda State Park on the island of the same name, the beaches of pretty Islamorada or those of Marathon, the lagoon of Harry Harris Park and, on the edge of Key West, Fort Zachary Taylor State Park, undoubtedly the most comfortable of all. Everywhere, seaside activities can be enjoyed alongside days on the beach: snorkelling or diving, kayaking or motorboat hire...

It's in Key West, at the end of the Overseas Highway, that people tend to linger the longest, following in the footsteps of Ernest Hemingway or Tenessee Williams, two former writers and famous residents of the small town.

A general atmosphere of relaxation and open-mindedness reigns over the 'capital' of the Keys, expressed in a variety of ways: through the charm of the pretty Caribbean houses in the historic centre, on the terrace of a café aerated by the ocean breeze, or in the unbridled atmosphere of the night bars devoted to fiesta and Spring Break drinking, there's never a dull moment in Key West!