Travel Agent - June 23, 2008 - (Page 177) ST. BARTHELEMY idyllic isle with A FRENCH FLAIR T his tiny isle might just attract more millionaires and celebrities per square mile than Aspen or St. Tropez. Regulars include David Letterman, Harrison Ford and P. Diddy a/k/a Sean Combs. Once here, the pace slows and the accent is on living the good life, French-style. The locals are as French as the natives of Normandy and Brittany. In fact, the first settlers came from those regions, and except for a century of Swedish rule, the island has been largely French ever since. Mountainous, dry and inhospitable to plantations, St. Barths (also knowns at St. Barts, St. Barth and other variations) never employed slaves or developed a job base beyond its own population, so most of its 7,000 inhabitants are descended from those original inhabitants. In the village of Corossol, many older women still commemorate special occa- sions by wearing outfits little changed from the 17th century, with starched, bigvisored, white sunbonnets. DINING DELIGHTS Here, hospitality is viewed as an art. In true French style, meals are served in exquisitely beautiful settings. Among the most acclaimed of the island’s 80-plus restaurants are the innovative dishes at François Plantation, the fresh-grilled lobster at La Langouste, the formal, classic French cuisine at Le Sapotillier, and the trendy Do Brazil. Almost half the visitors stay in hillside villas or apartments, with masseurs, chefs and maids on call. Most hotels — even the most chic — are small, friendly and often family run. Horseback riding and hiking are fun ways to appreciate the pretty mountain- framed bays and coves of this small eightsquare-mile island. Most visitors also rent small cars to navigate around the twisting narrow roads, stopping for a swim here, an aperitif there. Each beach has its own character. Some, like the secluded Anse de Grand Saline and Anse du Gouverneur, are largely bathing suit-free, although at most beaches, topless sunbathing is more common. Windsurfers and swimmers enjoy the reef-sheltered waters of Grand Cul de Sac, while snorkelers enjoy Petit Cul de Sac. Surfers fly along the pipelines at Anse Les Cayes, and Petit Anse de Galet offers some of the Caribbean’s best shelling. ST. BARTHELEMY GEOGRAPHY: St. Barthelemy (or St. Barths) lies 125 miles northwest of Guadeloupe and 15 miles southeast of St. Martin. The total land area is 8 square miles. LANGUAGE: French is the official language; however English is also spoken. POPULATION: 8,732 (estimate 2003). CLIMATE: A dry climate with an average temperature of 72ºF to 86ºF. TIME: EST +1. GMT -4. Daylight Savings Time is not observed. 177
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