Discovering Saint Barth

Nestled in the azure embrace of the Caribbean Sea, Saint Barthélemy, or Saint Barth for short, is a captivating gem waiting to be explored.

The name of the island, at least in my mind, was synonymous with rich and beautiful, mega yatches and super models; but to my delight, on a recent sailing trip to the French Indies, I found it quite charming and sailor-friendly as well.

Like all Caribbean islands, Saint Barth has a violent history. It was first discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493 during his second voyage to the Americas. However, the island’s indigenous inhabitants, the Arawak and Carib peoples, had already called it home for centuries and gave its original name, “Ouanalao.”

For three hundred years, Saint Barth had changed hands between Spain, France, Britain, Dutch and quite bizarrely, Sweden. They were a late comer to the colonization game, nevertheless, they managed to make a lasting effect in one of the most fashionable islands of the world; for during this period, the island developed a unique blend of French and Swedish influences, still evident in architectural as well as administrative and cultural practices.

That is why, although the island is a FOT (French Overseas Territory) since early 19th century, Saint Barth’s main town is called Gustavia and main historical site is Fort Karl. Pas très français, non ?

We anchored just outside Gustavia’s harbor and went on to explore the island both from the sea and the land.

Gustavia is a very charming town full of bars, restaurants and luxury boutiques. To give you the scope, when we searched for a supermarket to buy milk, fruits and coffee, we found it sandwiched between Chopard and Hermès. I mean, where else, right ?

Of course, when we saw the prize of the cherry tomatoes, the neighborhood suddenly made a lot of sense.

In Saint Barth, we quickly realized that the provisions don’t come in baskets or shopping bags, but in designer made tins. The smaller the tin, the higher the price.

In high season, the largest yachts on the planet invade the bay and the rent of the luxury villas jump up to 200,000 euros per week. 5-star hotels and best restaurants are completely full, especially if you are not somebody.

Luckily we were there just before the high season, where the everywhere was open but not uber-exclusive. So we rented a couple of cars and went exploring Saint Barth’s beaches, restaurants and bars.

The first thing I noticed was how clean and picturesque the island was. In most Caribbean islands, like anywhere else in the world, you enter a road which is not well maintained or pass a neighborhood where the houses are shabby and there’s the inevitable broken car in the backyard.

But not in Saint Barths, no sir. In this island, everything was easy on the eye.

After touring the island, we went to St Jean Bay for a swim. Among Saint Barth’s many beaches, St. Jean stands out as one of the most iconic stretches of coastline. With its powdery white sands and the gentle curve of its bay, it is the ultimate Caribbean beach. But it owes its fame to two institutions, both helped Saint Barth to gain its reputation as playground of the super rich.

The bay is divided into two distinct halves. The eastern end, often referred to as “Nikki Beach,” is known for its trendy beach clubs, with good food and great cocktails. The western end is quieter, providing a more tranquil beach experience.

Perched on a rocky promontory dividing the bay is the famous Eden Rock Hotel. This exclusive resort has been a magnet for celebrities almost from the get-go.

It was built by Rémy de Haenen, the first pilot to land on the island’s dangerous airstrip, and falling in love with the island, he purchased a property on a rocky promontory in St. Jean Bay, which later became the site for Eden Rock. He was the one who transformed the location into a private retreat in the 50s and eventually into the iconic luxury resort it is today. Eden Rock is now owned by an ex-racing champion who happens to be married to the sister of the future Queen of England.

Greta Garbo, Howard Hughes and David Rockefeller are just a few of the iconic names who have graced Eden Rock’s shores. Their stories add to the mystique of the place. Nowadays, Leo and his gaggle of supermodels are frequent guests, as well as Tom Cruise and Jennifer Lopez.

Apart from the usual amenities like world class restaurants and wellness centers, the hotel comes with its own state of the art recording studio for the visiting rockstars. You know, just in case.

We stayed around five days in Saint Barth, dividing our time between its lovely beaches and its superb bars and restaurants.

We spent an afternoon at one of the beach clubs on St Jean. The music was cool, the lunch tasty and the service impeccable.

If you would like to do a bit of souvenir shopping, there’s a sort of a shopping arcade at the other side of the road.

Apart from the St Jean Bay, another cool beach is the Flamand, with its azure sea, body surfers and celebrity gazers, for the Cheval Blanc, one of the poshest hotel chains in the world is located there.

If you are a sunset lover, go to the Shell Beach for a gorgeous tropical sunset. The name is apt, for it’s a small beach made of a million sea shells. Shellona Beach Club is just a few steps away for grabbing a bite or a drink.

The Gustavia seafront is full of bars and restaurants, and we tried some of them. Obviously, making reservations is a great idea, even in shoulder seasons. Google Maps came very handy during the whole tour.

My absolute favorites were Eddie’s Ghetto and Black Ginger. Eddie’s Ghetto serves superb French – Creole food in a very nice garden, and Black Ginger is among the tastiest Thai restaurants that I’ve tried. And I loved the black & white photos on their walls.

If you are in the mood for something more casual, Le Select, Cantina and L’Oubli are all good options for mahi burgers or lobster tacos and Arawak Cafe prepares some killer cocktails.

One evening, we visited the Christmas Village. I like visiting Christmas Markets, there’s always something to see, taste or buy.

The Christmas Village on Saint Barth was more of a local artisans market together with the giant glittering tree and a live band. Glühwine was replaced by ice cold champagne for it was around 25 degrees in the evening. Somehow, it wasn’t too Christmasy.

Maybe it’s me, but I prefer listening to Jingle Bells with a little bit of snow.

We spent a couple of nights at Anse de Colombier, isolated from the crowds and it was heaven. It is a secluded beach on the west coast, reachable only by boat or some serious hiking.

There are no clubs or restaurants, just the sea and the nature; so if you want some quiet time, this is the place to go.

There’s a soft climb that offers breath taking views of Colombier and Flamand beaches. The bay is a great spot for snorkeling and taking walks along the sand dunes . There’s even a friendly tortoise. We spent two nights there and I loved every minute of them.

The French describe Saint Barth as l’art d’être une île , or the art of being an island, and I think I understand why.

In Saint Barth, one finds the perfect combination of the laid-back island vibes without missing the comfort and luxury a modern city provides.

Honestly, where else can one go shopping at Chanel or Dior in flip flops ?