Small, pristine and deliberately un-crowded, St. Barthelemy (better known as St. Barth's--pronounced "St. Barts") is as European as it gets in the Caribbean. Known as the "Cannes" of the islands for its chic, trendy attitude, deluxe accommodations and the scores of celebrities who frequent her, St. Barth's is a place for people with as much leisure money as time. A tiny island of only eight square miles, St. Barth's terrain consists of dramatic hills and valleys encircled by stark white sand. With little to brag about beyond her spectacular natural beauty, St. Barth's centered her focus around her harbor and the island's only town, Gustavia, emerged at her edge.

Although discovered by Christopher Columbus (who named the island after his brother Bartholomew), the island today strives to remain undiscovered by the masses. If you're a day tripper or cruise shipper, don't look for the welcome mat to be rolled out for you. St. Barth's is determined to maintain its largely affluent, upper crust clientele however that's not to dissuade you from investigating her lovely charms. And there are many.

Saint-Barthélemy is a located in the Caribbean at 17°54′N 62°50′W, among the Leeward Islands. Its land area is 21.0 km² (8.1 sq. miles). Administratively, the whole island of Saint-Barthélemy is a French commune (commune de Saint-Barthélemy) part of Guadeloupe, which is an overseas region and overseas department of France, and therefore part of the European Union. The island is also known as Saint Barts, Saint Barths, or Saint Barth. In 2003 the population voted in favor of secession from Guadeloupe in order to form a separate overseas collectivity of France. However Saint-Barthélemy currently remains part of the region and department of Guadeloupe.

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At the 1999 census, the population of Saint-Barthélemy was 6,852 inhabitants, with a a population density of 326 inhabitants per km² in 1999. Unlike most Caribbean islands, its population is nearly all white.

Many of the full time residents are French citizens who work at the various establishments on the island. French is the primary language spoken, but many locals also speak English, particularly at the hotels and restaurants.

St. Barts is perhaps best known for being a vacation spot for the wealthy and famous. As a tourist attraction, it is notable for its pristine beaches and well-respected restaurants. Because St. Barts has no large hotels and only a limited supply of hotel and villa space, the Island has the added attraction of not being particularly crowded.

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Saint-Barthélemy was first claimed by France in 1648. It was sold to Sweden in 1785, which sold it back to France in 1878. The Swedish period made its marks by naming many of the streets and the town (in honor of king Gustav III) and leaving its national arms, the three crowns, in the St Barts coat of arms. The island is located approximately 150 miles east of Puerto Rico, Saint-Barthélemy lies near the islands of Saint Martin, Saba and Anguilla. Gustavia, which is the main town of the island, was named after King Gustav III of Sweden, and remains as a reflection of the Swedish period.

Of the twenty beaches on the small island, several are considered especially inviting. On the Southern side of the Island, Saline and Gouvernor beaches are pristine beaches with no development upon them. On the Western edge of the Island is Colombier beach, which is only reachable by boat or a hike. St.Jean and Flammands beaches are also popular and attractive beaches which have hotels and other establishments on them.¹

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The island's amenities include terrific diving, snorkeling and sun bathing on beaches that are the Caribbean's finest (and cleanest). The French flair is apparent in the rich, authentic cuisine that you'll enjoy at any number of posh restaurants overlooking fishing villages with harbors full of yachts and sailboats. A favorite pastime is undoubtedly shopping - but not for the thrift shoppers. Don't look for bargains here - look for the best in fashion designs from Milan to New York. Since the word leaked in the late 1980's of St. Barth's charms, the island has become more accessible than ever to tourists. An island that decidedly will never become a tourism Mecca, St. Barth's offers both tranquility and luxury to all who pursue her.

The yacht Princess, her white hull flashing in the Caribbean sun, slips past an offshore rock and enters a secluded blue bay on St. Barthelemy's northwest coast. Anse de Colombier has an exquisite beach, which is accessible by land only to anyone willing to descend the island's rough flanks through thickets of thorny cactus and clattering yucca spears.

Gustavia Harbour, Gustavia, Saint Barthelemy, French West Indies
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But we have arrived luxuriously by sea from the city of Marigot in the French side of St. Martin into Gustavia, capital of this small island, one of a handful of French dependencies in the Antilles. Our sarongwrapped steward, Caroline, has deployed salads, sandwiches, fruit, and cheese for lunch and poured a more-than-decent white Bordeaux. We feel, for a few minutes at least, the peers of the Rothschilds and Rockerfellers who retreated to this island in decades past and of the film and TV stars who have claimed it in the nineties.

Anse de L'orient, Saint Barthelemy, French West Indies
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Another yacht, the 42-foot catamaran Ne me quitte pas, has arrived before us with its own set of languid sunbathers aboard. One of my shipmates recognizes a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He leans across the sailboat's transom and calls out in a magisterial voice familiar from a thousand TV mustard commercials. "Pardon me," he says. "Do you have any Grey Poupon?" Of course, we are not Rothschilds or Rockefellers, not even friends of friends of theirs. Furthermore, I had not met my companions before we came aboard this yacht in St. Martin.