France – Saint-Barthélemy
I didn’t go here but include it for completeness’ sake. The hotel situation is ridiculously expensive.I returned from Anguilla at and had wanted to get the 4 pm ferry to Saint Barthelemy, hoping to stay the night. Accommodation on St Barts was prohibitively expensive (hotels over $1,000, Air BnBs $300 and no hostels. There were no flights to St Vincent, Guadeloupe, Martinique or the Dutch ABC islands.
I returned to Philipsburg and stayed again at the Caribbean Hotel.
As I had most of the day of March 21 with little to do, I hoped to get a ferry to do a day trip. One of the three ferry companies going to St Barts is in Philipsburg (Great Bay Express $85 return, departure at 07:15 and returns at 11 am or 5 pm). However, the 11 am return was booked out. As my flight to Guadeloupe was at 5 pm, I could not risk the stand-bye chance so didn’t go.
Saint Barthélemy is an overseas collectivity of France (St-Barth in French, and St. Barths or St. Barts in English. The island lies about 35 km south-east of Saint Martin, and is north-east of the Dutch islands of Saba, Sint Eustatius, and the independent country of Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Saint Barthélemy was for many years a French commune forming part of Guadeloupe, which is an overseas region and department of France. In 2003 the island voted in favour of secession from Guadeloupe in order to form a separate overseas collectivity of France. The collectivity is one of four territories among the Leeward Islands in the northeastern Caribbean that make up the French West Indies, along with Saint Martin, Guadeloupe (200 kilometres (120 mi) southeast), and Martinique.
Saint Barthélemy, a volcanic island fully encircled by shallow reefs, has an area of 25 square kilometres and a population of 9,961 (2017). Its capital is Gustavia, which also contains the main harbour. It is the only Caribbean island that was a Swedish colony for any significant length of time (before the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Guadeloupe came under Swedish rule for nearly a century before it returned to French rule after a referendum. Symbolism from the Swedish national arms, the Three Crowns, still appears in the island’s coat of arms. The language, cuisine, and culture, however, are distinctly French. The island is a popular tourist destination during the winter holiday season, geared towards the high-end, luxury tourist market.
History. The island proved economically unsuccessful, and was subject to the activities of pirates (most notably Daniel Montbars aka ‘Montbars the Exterminator’), as well as the British, who attacked the island but deemed it to be of little worth, King Louis XVI traded the island to Sweden in 1784 in return for trading privileges in Gothenburg. This change of control saw progress and prosperity as the Swedes declared Gustavia (named after the Swedish king Gustav III who ruled at that time) a free port, convenient for trading by the Europeans for goods, including contraband material.
19th century. Slavery was practiced in St. Barthélemy under the Ordinance concerning the Police of Slaves and free Coloured People of 1787. The last legally owned slaves in the Swedish colony of St. Barthélemy were granted their freedom by the state on 9 October 1847. Since the island was not a plantation area, the freed slaves suffered economic hardships due to lack of opportunities for employment.
In 1852, a devastating hurricane hit the island and this was followed by a fire. The economy suffered, and thus Sweden sought to relieve themselves of the island. In 1867, a volcano “nearly destroyed the island”. Following a referendum in 1877, Sweden sold the island back to France in 1878, after which it was administered as part of Guadeloupe.
20th century. On 19 March 1946, the people of the island became French citizens with full rights. With few economic prospects on the islands many men from St. Barthélemy took jobs on Saint Thomas to support their families. Organised tourism and hotels began in earnest in the 1960s and developed in the 1970s onwards, particularly after the building of the island’s landing strip that can accommodate mid-sized aircraft. The island soon became renowned as a high-class luxury destination, being frequented by numerous celebrities such as Greta Garbo, Howard Hughes, Benjamin de Rothschild, David Rockefeller, Lorne Michaels, Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, Jimmy Buffett and Johnny Hallyday. The boost in tourist numbers has led to a rise in living standards and rapid modernisation. The island was not electrified until the 1980s.
21st century. Saint Barthélemy was for many years a French commune forming part of Guadeloupe. Through a referendum in 2003, island residents sought separation from the administrative jurisdiction of Guadeloupe, and it was finally accomplished in 2007 to became an Overseas Collectivity (COM). A governing territorial council was elected for its administration, which has provided the island with a certain degree of autonomy. A senator represents the island in Paris. St. Barthélemy has retained its free port status. Saint Barthélemy ceased being an outermost region and left the EU, to become an OCT, (Overseas Country or Territory) on 1 January 2012.
The island sustained damage from Hurricane Irma in September 2017 but recovered quickly, and by early 2018 transport and electricity were largely operational.
Geography. Approximately 250 kilometres (160 mi) east of Puerto Rico and the nearer Virgin Islands, St. Barthélemy lies immediately southeast of the islands of Saint Martin and Anguilla. St. Barthélemy is separated from Saint Martin by the Saint-Barthélemy Channel. It lies northeast of Saba and St Eustatius, and north of St Kitts. Several smaller uninhabited islands lie offshore, the largest of which are Île Fourchue, Île Coco, Île Chevreau (Île Bonhomme), Île Frégate, Île Toc Vers, Île Tortue, Roche Plate (Table à Diable) and Mancel ou la Poule et les Poussins.
St. Barthélemy forms, with St. Martin, Anguilla, and Dog Island, a distinct group that lies upon the western edge of a flat bank of soundings composed chiefly of shells, sand, and coral. From St. Barthélemy, the bank extends east-southeast, ending in a small tongue or spit. It is separated from the main bank by a narrow length of deep water. East of the island, the edge of the bank lies 22 kilometres (14 miles) away.
Grande Saline Bay provides temporary anchorage for small vessels while Colombier Bay, to the northwest, has a 4 fathoms patch near mid-entrance. In the bight of St. Jean Bay there is a narrow cut through the reef. The north and east sides of the island are fringed, to a short distance from the shore, by a visible coral reef. Reefs are mostly in shallow waters and are clearly visible. The coastal areas abound with beaches and many of these have offshore reefs, some of which are part of a marine reserve.
The marine reserve, founded in 1999, covers more than 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) of protected and vulnerable habitats, bays and islands, and includes a zone that is restricted to scientific observations only. As the sea surrounding the St. Barthélemy is rich in coral reefs and other precious marine life, the area has been declared a protected area since 1996. Environmental awareness is quite pronounced in St. Barthélemy and is promoted by the Environmental Commission.
Beaches. There are as many as 22 public beaches (most beaches on St. Barthélémy are known as “Anse de…”) of which 15 are considered suitable for swimming. They are categorized and divided into two groups, the leeward side (calm waters protected by the island itself) and windward side (some of which are protected by hills and reefs). The windward beaches are popular for windsurfing. The beach of St Jean is suitable for water sports and facilities have been created for that purpose. The long beach at Lorient has shade and is a quiet beach as compared to St. Jean.
Grand-cul-de-sac is a long beach with facilities for water sports. Anse de Flamands is a very wide sandy beach and Le petit Anse (The little beach), just to the north of Anse de Flamands is very safe and popular with the locals for their children. Anse Toiny beach is in a remote location and is considered suitable for experienced surfers as the water current is very strong.
On the leeward side, the notable beaches are: Anse du Gouverneur, Anse du Colombier that is only accessible by foot or by boat, Anse de Grand Galet (Shell Beach) and Anse de Grande Saline which is popular with nudists. The area around the salt ponds near the Anse de Grande Saline beach is marshy and is a habitat for tropical birds. Ile islet, an offshoot of the leeward side, has a white sandy beach.
Shell Beach, also called Anse de Grand Galet (in French, ‘Anse’ means “cove” and Galet means “pebble”), is a beach in the southwestern part of Gustavia. A large number of sea shells are scattered on this beach. This beach was subject to the strong waves of hurricane Lenny in 1999, which resulted in erosion of the sand. This necessitated supplementing the beach with new sand in 2000.
Interior. Morne du Vitet, 286 metres (938 feet) in height, is the highest peak on the island. Hills and valleys of varying topography cover the rest of the island. Notable are Morne Rouge, Morne Criquet, Morne de Grand Fond, Morne de Dépoudré and Morne Lurin. The largest bodies of water on the island are Étang de Saint-Jean, Grande Saline, Grand Étang and Petit Étang.
Populated areas. The population is spread among 40 quartiers, roughly corresponding to settlements. They are grouped into two paroisses (parishes):
Climate. The island covers an area of 25 square kilometres (10 sq mi). The eastern side is wetter than the western. Although the climate is essentially arid, the rainfall does average 1,000 millimetres (40 inches) annually, but with considerable variation over the terrain. Summer is from May to November, which is also the rainy season. Sunshine is very prominent for nearly the entire year and even during the rainy season. Humidity, however, is not very high due to the winds. The average temperature is around 25 °C
Demographics.
As of 2017, Saint-Barthélemy had a population of 9,961. Residents, known as Saint-Barthélemois, are French citizens and work at establishments on the island. Most of them are descendants of the first settlers, of Breton, Norman, Poitevin, Saintongeais and Angevin lineage. There is also a big community of Portuguese emigrants mainly from the North of Portugal, around 3000 people. French is the native tongue of the population, though English is understood in most hotels and restaurants; a small population of Anglophones has been resident in Gustavia for many years. The St. Barthélemy French patois is spoken by some 500–700 people in the leeward portion of the island and is superficially related to Quebec French, whereas Créole French is limited to the windward side. Unlike other populations in the Caribbean, language preference between the Créole and Patois is geographically, and not racially, determined.
Economy. The economy of the island is based on tourism and duty-free retail. The official currency of St. Barthélemy is the euro.
In 2014 the nominal GDP per capita of Saint Martin was 38,994 euros (US$51,735 at 2014 exchanges rates, which was one of the highest GDP per capita in the Caribbean, more than double the GDP per capita of the nearby Collectivity of Saint Martin, as well as 85% higher than Guadeloupe and 19% higher than metropolitan France’s GDP per capita in 2014.
Tourism. International investment and the wealth generated by tourists explain the high standard of living on the island. Most of the food is imported from the United States or France. Tourism attracts about 200,000 visitors every year. As a result, there is a boom in house building activity catering to the tourists and also to the permanent residents of the island.
St. Barthélemy has about 25 hotels, most with 15 rooms or fewer; the largest has 58 rooms. Hotels are classified in the traditional French manner; 3 Star, 4 Star and 4 Star Luxe. Of particular note are Eden Rock and Cheval Blanc. Hotel Le Toiny, the most expensive hotel on the island, has 12 rooms. Most places of accommodation are in the form of private villas, of which there are some 400 available to rent on the island. The island’s tourism industry, though expensive, attracts 70,000 visitors every year to its hotels and villas; another 130,000 people arrive by boat. It also attracts a labour force from Portugal. The height of tourism is New Year’s Eve, with celebrities and the wealthy converging on the island in yachts up to 170 metres (550 feet) in length for the occasion.
Handicrafts. Corossol is noted for its handicrafts; weaving hats and bags from palm fronds is a low-income economic activity of the indigenous people.]
Flora. As the terrain is generally arid, the hills have mostly poor soil and support only cacti and succulent plants. During the rainy season the area turns green with vegetation and grass. The eastern part of the island is greener as it receives more rainfall. A 1994 survey has revealed several hundred indigenous species of plants including the naturalized varieties of flora; some growing in irrigated areas while the dry areas are dominated by the cacti variety. Sea grapes and palm trees are a common sight with mangroves and shrubs surviving in the saline coastal swamps. Coconut palm was brought to the island from the Pacific islands. Important plants noted on the island include flamboyant trees, frangipanis, sabal palms, wild trumpet and Manchineel trees.
Other trees of note include the royal palm, sea grape trees in the form of shrubs on the beaches and as 5 to 7 metres (16 to 23 feet) trees in the interior areas of the island, aloe or aloe vera (brought from the Mediterranean), the night blooming cereus, mamillaria nivosa, yellow prickly pear or barbary fig which was planted as barbed wire defences against invading British army in 1773, Mexican cactus, stapelia gigantea, golden trumpet or yellow bell which was originally from South America, bougainvillea and others.
Fauna. Marine mammals are many, such as dolphins, porpoises and whales, which are seen here during the migration period from December until May. Turtles are a common sight along the coastline of the island. They are a protected species and in the endangered list. It is stated that it will take 15–50 years for this species to attain reproductive age. Though they live in the sea, the females come to the shore to lay eggs and are protected by private societies. Three species of turtles are particularly notable. These are: The leatherback sea turtles which have leather skin instead of a shell and are the largest of the type found here, sometimes measuring as much as 3 metres (10 feet) (average is about 1.5 m or 5 ft) and weighing about 450 (jellyfish is their favourite diet); the hawksbill turtles, which have hawk-like beaks and found near reefs, generally about 90 centimetres (35 inches) in diameter and weigh about 60 and their diet consists of crabs and snails; and the green turtles, herbivores which have rounded heads, generally about 90 centimetres (35 inches) in diameter and live amidst tall seagrasses.
Avifauna. Avifauna in the wild, both native and migrating include brown pelican along the shoreline, magnificent frigatebirds with long wingspans of up to 1.8 metres (6′), green herons, snowy egrets, belted kingfishers; bananaquits; broad-winged hawks; two species of hummingbirds, the green-throated Carib and Antillean crested hummingbird; and zenaida doves.
Aquafauna. The marine life found here consists of anemones, urchins, sea cucumbers, and eels, which all live on the reefs along with turtles, conch, and many varieties of marine fishes. The marine aquafauna is rich in conch, which has pearly-pink shells. Its meat is a favourite food supplement item and their shells are a collector’s item. Other species of fish that are recorded close to the shoreline in shallow waters are: sergeant majors, the blue chromis, brown chromis, surgeon fish; blue tangs and trumpet fish. On the shore are ghost crabs, which always live on the beach in small burrowed tunnels made in sand, and the hermit crabs, which live inland but lay eggs in water and which also eat garbage and sewerage. They spend some months in the sea during and after the hatching season.
Marine Reserve. Saint-Barthélemy has a marine nature reserve, known as the Reserve Naturelle that covers 1200 ha (4¾ sq.mi.), and is divided into 5 zones all around the island to form a network of protected areas. The Reserve includes the bays of Grand Cul de Sac, Colombier, Marigot, Petit Cul de Sac, Petite Anse as well as waters around offshore rocks such as Les Gross Islets, Pain de Sucre, Tortue, and Forchue. The Reserve is designed to protect the islands coral reefs, seagrass, and endangered marine species including sea turtles. The Reserve has two levels of protection, the yellow zones of protection where certain non-extractive activities, like snorkeling and boating, are allowed and the red zones of high protection where most activities including SCUBA are restricted in order to protect or recover marine life. Anchoring is prohibited in the Reserve and mooring buoys are in place in some of the protected bays like Colombier.
Landmarks and architecture.
As well as Gustavia, the capital of St. Barthélemy, there are many notable places and monuments in the island which testify to the island’s colonial history under the Spanish, Swedish, British, and French, and now a French territory.
Gustavia is in a U-shaped cove facing the harbour on the west. The coastal arm of this cove is in a peninsula while the dockyard is on the east side.
When the British invaded the harbour town in 1744, the town’s architectural buildings were destroyed. Subsequently, new structures were built in the town around the harbour area and the Swedes had also further added to the architectural beauty of the town in 1785 with more buildings, when they had occupied the town. Earlier to their occupation, the port was known as “Carénage”. The Swedes renamed it Gustavia in honour of their king Gustav III. It was then their prime trading center. The port maintained a neutral stance since the Caribbean war was on in the 18th century. They used it as a trading post of contraband and the city of Gustavia prospered but this prosperity was short-lived.
These buildings also underwent further destruction during the hurricanes and also by gutting in 1852. However, some monuments are still intact such as the residence of the then Swedish governor, now the town hall. The oldest colonial structure in the town is stated to be the bell tower (now without a bell) built in 1799, as part of a church (destroyed in the past), in the southeast end of the town on Rue Du Presbytere. Now, a large clock is installed in place of the bell.
The road that runs parallel to the harbour face of the sea is called the Rue de la Republique and two other roads connect to the two arms of the U-shaped bay. The city has a network of roads, inherited from the Swedish period, that are laid in a grid pattern, which are either parallel or perpendicular to the three main roads that encompass the bay.
Église Anglicane de Gustavia, the Saint-Bartholomew Anglican Church, is an important religious building in the town built in 1855 with stones brought from St Eustatius. It is on one of the most elegant roads of the town called the Rue du Centenaire. It has a bell tower.
Ancien Presbytère de l’église Catholique de Gustavia is the Catholic Church built in 1822 is a replacement of the oldest church of the same name in Lorient. This church also has a bell tower which is separated from the main church and which rings loud and clear.
Musée Territorial de St.-Barthélemy is a historical museum known as the “St. Barts Municipal Museum” also called the “Wall House”, which is located on the far end of La Pointe. The museum is housed in an old stone house, a two-story building which has been refurbished. The island’s history relating to the French, Swedish, and British periods of occupation is well presented in the museum with photographs, maps, and paintings. Also on display are the ancestral costumes, antique tools, models of Creole houses, and ancient fishing boats. It also houses a library.
Gustavia Lighthouse. The 9 metres (30 ft) white tower of the Gustavia Lighthouse was built in 1961. Situated on the crest of a hill north of the town, its focal plane is 64 metres (210 ft) above the level of the sea.
Forts. Among the notable structures in the town are the three forts built by the Swedes for defense purposes. One of these forts, known as Fort Oscar (formerly Gustav Adolph), which overlooks the sea is located on the far side of La Pointe. However, the ruins have been replaced by a modern military building which now houses the local gendarmerie. The other fort is known as Fort Karl now presents very few ruins. The third fort built by the Swedes is the Fort Gustav, which is also seen in ruins strewn around the weather station and the Light House. The fort built in 1787 over a hill slope has ruins of ramparts, guardhouse, munitions depot, wood-burning oven, and so forth.
Savaku. A statue, “Savaku”, representing the Arawak peoples is present at Saint-Jean.
Culture. Some of the festivals held each year in St. Barthélemy are:
The St. Barts Music Festival held every January, usually during the 2nd and 3rd weeks.
A French Carnival in February / March held for two weeks before Ash Wednesday and concluding with Ash Wednesday; on Ash Wednesday a black and white parade held at Shell Beach is the occasion to a notional burning of the image of Vaval, the Carnival King.
St. Barth Film Festival, held annually at the end of April, was established in 1996, and hosts Caribbean films for five days.
Festival of Gustavia held in August, an occasion of dragnet fishing and partying.
The national holidays observed are Bastille Day and St. Barthélemy Day (day of adoption of the French Constitution). Feast of St Louis is held on 1 November when thousands of candles are lit in the evening hours, which is a public holiday.
Music. The Caribbean, the birthplace of the calypso, méringue, soca, zouk and reggae music influence the culture tremendously. The St. Barthélemy Music Festival is a major international performing arts event held every year.
Cuisine
French cuisine, West Indian cuisine, Creole cuisine, Italian cuisine and Asian cuisine are common in St. Barthélemy. The island has over 70 restaurants serving many dishes and others are a significant number of gourmet restaurants; many of the finest restaurants are located in the hotels. There are also a number of snack restaurants which the French call “les snacks” or “les petits creux” which include sandwiches, pizzas and salads. West Indian cuisine, steamed vegetables with fresh fish is common; Creole dishes tend to be spicier. The island hosts gastronomic events throughout the year, with dishes such as spring roll of shrimp and bacon, fresh grilled lobster, Chinese noodle salad with coconut milk, and grilled beef fillet etc.
Legend. A popular legend related to St. Barthélemy is of a seafarer hooligan looking to loot Spanish ships. French pirate Daniel Montbars, who was given the epithet “Montbars the Exterminator”, took shelter in St. Barthélemy during his pirate operations and hid the loot in the sandy coves at Anse du Gouverneur.
Gustavia is also known as a haven for yachting, with many events being held there each year. These include the St Barths Bucket Regatta, the Saint Barth’s Cup and Les Voiles de St. Barth in April, and the International Regatta in May. Deep sea fishing is also undertaken from the waterfront of Lorient, Flamands, and Corossol to fish for tuna, marlin, bonito, barracuda, and wahoo.
The Transat AG2R Race, held every alternate year, is an event which originates in Concarneau in Brittany, France, reaching St. Barthélemy. It is a boat race with boats of 10-metre (33-foot) length with a single hull and with essential safety equipment. Each boat is navigated by two sailors. Kitesurfing and other water sports have also become popular on the island in recent years, especially at Grand Cul-de-Sac beach (Baie de Grand Cul de Sac) for windy sports like kitesurfing and Saint-Jean Beach, Lorient, Toiny, and Anse des Cayes for surfing. Tennis is also popular on the island and it has several tennis clubs.
The Swedish Marathon Race, also called the Gustavialoppet, is held in December. Races of 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) and 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) are conducted when children, women and men participate in the races.
Get in.
Air. St. Barthélemy has a small airport Gustaf III Airport with a runway length of 646 meter/2,119 ft. Airport codes: SBH (IATA), TFFJ (ICAO). The airport is served by small regional commercial aircraft and charters of up to 19 passengers, as well as helicopters. Passengers for destination St.Barth arrive on international commercial airlines and large private jets mainly via the neighbor island Sint Maarten’s Princess Juliana International Airport as hub to connect with the regional carriers. Several international airlines and regional Caribbean airlines operate from this hub.
St.Barth has it own airline, St.Barth Commuter which in addition of the scheduled and charter flight services, provides medical transport services.
Boat. Three inter-island ferry services operate regularly between St. Martin and St. Barts.
Get around. The narrow and congested roads, and difficulty in parking, have been an impetus for driving Smart cars.
Nomad Mania.
World of Nature: Réserve Naturelle de Saint-Barthélemy
Lakes: Grand Etang (St. Barts)