Saint-Martin
French Half Of An Island Shared With Dutch Sint Maarten, Known For Orient Bay And The Restaurants And Lolos Of Grand Case · Marigot, Saint-Martin
Saint-Martin is the French northern half of a small Caribbean island shared with Dutch Sint Maarten, one of the smallest landmasses in the world divided between two countries. The border is open, marked only by a monument and a sign, and most visitors cross it without noticing. The French side is quieter and more relaxed than the Dutch side, with its capital at Marigot, a harbour town with a waterfront market and the ruins of Fort Louis on the hill above. Grand Case, a village on the north-west coast, is known for its restaurants and for its lolos, open-air barbecue stalls serving ribs, chicken and lobster. On the east coast, Orient Bay is a long, lively beach with water sports and beach bars, and a small ferry crosses to the tiny islet of Pinel. Both euros and US dollars are used. Hurricane Irma devastated the island in 2017 and recovery took years; the cyclone season still runs from summer to autumn, and sargassum seaweed can foul the Atlantic beaches.
Marigot, Grand Case and Orient Bay, French side of Saint-Martin, Marigot, Saint-Martin, France
Beaches on the French side are public and open every day with no tickets, though loungers, umbrellas and beach bar service are paid and mostly run in daylight. The Marigot market on the waterfront is busiest in the morning, especially on the traditional market days, usually Wednesday and Saturday; confirm. The small boat to Pinel islet leaves from Cul-de-Sac and runs through the day while the sea is calm, stopping in the late afternoon and in rough weather. Grand Case restaurants mostly open for dinner, with many closing one day a week, while the lolos serve from lunchtime into the evening. The Tuesday evening street event in Grand Case, when running, draws crowds in the high season; check whether it is on. Fort Louis can be visited in daylight. Shops in Marigot often close for lunch and on Sunday, although cruise ship days bring longer hours. Some restaurants and hotels close for weeks in the autumn low season. During hurricane warnings the airports, ferries and businesses shut down at short notice, so check local advice.