St. Barthelemy

This arid, volcanic rock of just eight square miles is home to an eclectic mix of iguanas, night-blooming cactus, and fabulous beaches as well as luxury yachts, designer boutiques, and celebrities… Peopled primarily by descendants of the original French settlers and transplanted Europeans, this is an island with a strong, independent personality. Through the vagaries of its history it became a duty-free port and more recently liberated itself from the administrative yoke of Guadeloupe. It is certainly the most unusual of the French West Indies islands.

Most of the year, puffy white clouds parade through a clear blue sky, and warm balmy breezes gently ruffle hair and sway palm fronds.

In Gustavia, the charm of a town with Scandinavian accents blends with the effervescence of a duty-free port with tax-free shopping. The neighborhood of Saint Jean is the most developed and touristic outside of Gustavia. The bay of Saint Jean embraces the airport as well as two large beaches with white sand that carpets the floor of this beautiful bay.