St Barths
St Barthelemy is the Monte Carlo of the Caribbean, without the traffic jams but with the added advantage of flawless beaches. Shortened to Saint Barth in French – and St Barts in English – it is an exclusive eight square mile (21 sq km) embodiment of 24-carat French chic. It attracts millionaires on luxury yachts, movie stars and French expatriates fleeing the European winter.
The English proverb "the best things come in small packages" could have been coined for St Barthelemy. It has 22 beaches, all of them magnificent and some of them accessible only by boat.
Capital: Gustavia.
Currency: Euro
Population: 6,500
Area: 8 square miles (15 square kilometres)
Languages: French.
Economy: Tourism.
Currency: Euro
Population: 6,500
Area: 8 square miles (15 square kilometres)
Languages: French.
Economy: Tourism.
Predominant Religions: Mainly Roman Catholic
Government: sub-prefecture of Guadeloupe
Telephone Codes: 11 590, country code
Airport Departure Tax: 5 Euro
Passport/Visa Requirements: Passports and no visas needed by citizens of Australia and New Zealand.
Health Certificates: None required. Contact health authorities for latest information.
Banking Hours: Banks are open Monday to Friday, 8am-12 noon and 2-4pm. Some also open on Saturday morning.
Shopping Hours: Shops open at the same time as banks but will remain open until around 6pm.
Time Zone: 13 hours behind Sydney (EST).No Daylight Saving Time is observed.
Voltage Requirements: 220 volts.
Weather
As in the rest of the Leeward Islands, the trade winds tend to keep temperatures moderate (72-86F) year-round. The island tends to be dry, except for summer rainy periods.
Transport Taxis meet all flights at St. Barts' tiny airport and are not over-expensive, in the main because the island is small. The island's hilly terrain and narrow roads make renting a car an adventure in itself,
History Although Columbus noticed St. Barts in 1493, it was French colonists from St. Kitts in the south who colonized it a century and a half later. When the Spanish began to show an interest in the island, the Order of Malta took over and the Spanish backed off. For a short while, the Caribs inhabited St. Barts, but even they left in search of more promising lands. In the late 1600s, a second group of Huguenots arrived to try to establish a foothold. The British were next, with a brief occupation in the mid-1700s. In 1784, St. Barts hung the Swedish flag (the only island in the Caribbean to ever do so). At the close of the 19th century, St. Barts was returned to France. In 1946, it was made a dependency of Guadeloupe, a French region.
In a way, the fashions of St. Barts define the island. There are the long-skirted dresses and starched white bonnets worn by the tradition-bound women of Corossol and the ultra-chic resortwear of the jet-set tourists. There is the St. Barts on which people live and the St. Barts on which people vacation. The first is proud, proper and hard-working. The second is easy going, chic and well-to-do.
Sightseeing on St. Barts happens three times a day: at breakfast, lunch and dinner times. In the morning, pick up fresh-baked croissants in the capital of Gustavia. At noon, bring a picnic basket and a bottle of wine to a different strand of beach. St. Jean Beach, with its two golden arcs, is a favorite for water-sports enthusiasts. At Anse des Cayes and Anse de Lorient you can watch the fishermen haul in the catch of the day. After dining on roasted duck, escargot or spiny lobster in the evening, stop by Le Select or Bar de l'Oubli for a tropical drink, a game of dominoes and a chance to see those who have come for the same.
Water sports – windsurfing, scuba diving, snorkeling, sailing and deep sea fishing – are excellent. Travel around the island on a boat or ride across it on a horse. After dark, relax in classical French restaurants or waterfront cafes, bistros and bars, watching the moonlit sea.
Some places are lively, some are quiet, but generally night-life is stylishly cool rather than heavy, as befits an island renowned for its under-stated, tropical elegance. The shops in the capital town sell the latest Chanel, Dior and Gucci – at tax free prices – and the beach bars and hotels are venues for fashion shows and art exhibitions.
If you’re looking for a Caribbean island where relaxation and Gallic style under a tropical sun have been refined to perfection, you’ve found it.
