I certainly felt very lucky when I arrived on the island of St Barth. Firstly, my propeller plane had landed safely after a near vertical dive over mountainous terrain onto the infamous short runway, the wing tip almost touching the turquoise waters of St Jean Bay. And secondly, I was ticking off a place that had been on my bucket list for a very long time.
St Barth just has that undefinable “it”. A glitzy history and glamorous allure. But I will be honest, despite wanting to visit, I was daunted. As a playground for the extremely well-heeled and with stories of the party antics of the jet set crowd in their designer gear, I wondered if I would really fit in? But having spoken to a few people in the know who have lived on the island for many years, I was told that if I avoided Christmas and New Year, when the hordes turn the island into a bubble of Champagne, celebrities and mega yachts, I would discover a quieter, wilder paradise. So that is exactly what I did when I travelled in June.
The island is tiny - 9.6 square miles to be precise - and was discovered by Colombus who named it after his younger brother, Bartholomew. It was fought over by the Swedes and French until it became a colonial jewel in France’s crown and it really is like a piece of the South of France in the Caribbean. French is spoken by locals, signs all across the island are written in the language, there are boulangeries on every corner and the local currency is the Euro.
Despite my hair-raising landing, the rest of my arrival was super smooth and efficient. As only small planes can land on the minuscule runway, you don’t get the hordes from large International flights. So minutes after disembarking I was being whisked off towards the easternmost tip of the island to what was to be my home during my stay, Le Toiny. Set on a hillside with superb sea views, the hotel has 22 private villas (each with its own infinity pool) hidden amongst casuarina trees and hibiscus. As the owners are British, interiors are English country meet seaside chic and it works in a very understated and relaxed kind of way. I particularly liked the included mini-bar with its sweet treats, bottles of wine and chilled Perrier Jouet, the house Champagne. I settled in very well.
Day to day life on St Barth generally revolves around the beaches and there are over 20 of them, large and small, each with its own special attraction including: Shell - which as the name suggests is covered in pretty, tiny seashells; Colombier - only accessible by hiking there or by boat; Gouverneur - picture postcard perfect with is flawless stretch of coral sand; and Anse Le Toiny, the wild one which is favoured by surfers and sat in the bay directly beneath my hotel. It is accessible on foot or by taking a ride in the hotel’s cool Defender Jeep. There you’ll find the hotel’s feet-in-the-sand Beach Club with its cute little restaurant where menus are on chalkboards, hammocks sway in the breeze and cushy loungers are ready to recline in - perfect after a long rosé fuelled lunch.
As well as the beaches, St Barth has the most stunning lush mountainous landscape blanketed in hiking trails of all different levels. A boat day is also a great way to take in the beauty of the island, since you’re able to easily reach certain areas that are trickier to access by land and it’s a perfect way to spot the turtles that make the seas around St Barth home.
When the sun goes down, the place to head to is the capital Gustavia for its awesome sunset and dinner at one of the terrific restaurants. Here you will find a handful of pretty cobbled streets, but as a duty free port, its packed to the rafters with high-end global brands like Chanel, Cartier, Dior, Hermes, all housed in tiny clapboard buildings with red roofs. Thankfully there are also plenty of very chic local boutiques too, which are more within my budget.
As far as hotels go, the island has some fabulous ones. Mine, Le Toiny, is definitely one for those who like their privacy. Eden Roc is the showy one. It was built by French artist, Rémy de Haenen, in the 40s on a rocky outcrop that dominates St Jean Beach. It started off as his home (before becoming a hotel) to which he regularly invited a string of famous friends - Greta Garbo, Howard Hughes, Robert Mitchen, the Rockefellers. In short, he brought money and glamour to the island, which has been its hallmark ever since.
And so, after my 5 days on the island, did I feel like I fitted in. Absolutely. What I discovered about St Barth is that it has a unique bohemian, no shoes feel, which really is down to those who were born and live there and there is definitely space for everyone, not just the rich and famous. It’s a place for people who love island life (boats, beaches and the ocean) but who also want the ability to dine on fabulous food - there are over 100 restaurants on the island - stay in rather chic hotels (or villas) and also love to have other things to do, including some amazing shopping. All this whist being cradled by the balmy Caribbean warmth.
Whether called Saint Barthélémy, St Barth or the anglicised St Barts, this near flawless beauty is gorgeous in any language and if you would like to sample a taste of this little slice of paradise, please do get in touch and I can chat through everything from the best time to visit, to the perfect hotel for you (there really is one for everyone) to ensure we create an amazing trip.