Where do the French vacation when they want sun, romantic beaches and fabulous cuisine? If not the Riviera, you’re likely to find those in the know relaxing to the nth degree in the Caribbean’s St. Martin, part of the French West Indies. And if they’re really smart (and can afford it), they’ll be enjoying the gorgeous La Samanna resort, known for attracting Hollywood’s finest as well as France’s aficionados of all things bright and beautiful.
On the seemingly endless crescent-shaped Baie Lounge beach on La Samanna, St. Martin’s turquoise-tinted waves gently undulate onto the powdery fine sand beach. The sun warms and caresses all your cares as you dip into the stunning green/blue of the Sea.
Welcome to St. Martin.
This magnificent, 37-mile-long island in the French West Indies has been inhabited for more than 1,000 years by native Indians ranging from the peace-loving Arawak Indians to the fierce Caribs, for whom the entire Caribbean is named.
Since Christopher Columbus stumbled upon St. Martin in 1493, this speck of land has been fought over by people from Spain, Amsterdam, France and other European nations. The French and Dutch won and now share the region. That this spectacular island attracts some of the wealthiest and famous individuals in the world should come as no surprise. For, although shared with the Dutch, St. Martin’s part of the island offers some of the most exclusive, duty-free shopping in the whole of the Caribbean. Who wouldn’t be attracted to the constantly updated French importation of fine jewelry, watches, leather goods and of course, spectacular French wine?
Tourists worldwide travel here to bask in the glorious sun, play in the azure sea, gamble in the Dutch-side casinos, and by doing so, pay respect to cultures represented by the hard-working infrastructure that maintains the island’s strict standards and self-respect. For natives here are fiercely proud of their melting-pot culture and talented craftsman, musicians, artists and artisans are bent on forging their own identities and connecting with the larger world.
Talent here ranges from the local marketplace natives proffering painted coconuts to world-renowned artists like Roland Richardson, to Thierry Benoit (aka Terry B.), an up-and-coming producer of local musical talent, “N-Xlevil.”
Over the past decades, St. Martin has evolved into one of the most joyful playgrounds for tourists keen on casual indifference to nudity as well as those discriminating aficionados of supreme cuisine, luxury goods and superb vacation accommodations. That the island has suffered through countless hurricanes - and still manages to rise Phoenix-like - is a testament to the will of the people who inhabit this precious space.
Located midway through the chain of islands in the azure Caribbean Sea in the southern Antilles, St. Martin is sunny and warm year-round, with the usual afternoon shower in deep summer. The secret to St. Martin’s temperate ambience? Cooling trade winds that help maintain an ideal melding of heat and low humidity. That’s a marriage that’s lasted for hundreds of years.
French St. Martin seduces mightily in so many ways, but none so more dramatically than with its superlative cuisine that, in the case of the premiere-rated resort La Samanna, flies in provisions daily from Mother France. And as your vacation unfolds, you will soon learn the French don’t simply eat. They dine. Grand Case offers so many wonderful restaurants, it’s impossible to single any out.
But you will certainly dine elegantly, if you so desire, even on the beach. The more up-scale resorts will arrange for white-linen tablecloth tables, set up for your pleasure on the beach at sunset. Discrete waiters will stand by to ensure your experience is nothing less than sublime. And of course, the same experience may be duplicated in your own ocean-view villa, if privacy is key.