About the island
A French outpost in the Caribbean
St. Barthélemy — universally known as St. Barth — is a French overseas collectivity sitting just east of St. Martin in the northern Lesser Antilles. Eight square miles of volcanic terrain, twenty-two beaches, and a single small harbour town that fills with mega-yachts each December. There is nowhere quite like it in the region, and the island knows it.
The island is comprehensively French. The currency is the euro, the road signs are in French, the bakeries are real bakeries, and the restaurants — there are over a hundred for a permanent population of under ten thousand — are exceptional even by the standard of small French islands. English is widely spoken and US dollars accepted everywhere, but the atmosphere is unmistakably French Caribbean.
Gustavia, the harbour town, takes its name from a brief period of Swedish rule in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries — visible still in the architecture and the street names. The Swedes returned the island to France in 1878. From then onwards it remained a quiet French outpost until the 1960s, when the Rockefeller family bought land at Colombier and quietly set the template for the kind of discreet, monied tourism the island has hosted ever since.
“St. Barth has always belonged to a particular kind of traveller — one who values the quality of a meal, the discretion of a beach, and the absence of crowds far more than any appearance of grandeur.”
Capital
Currency
Language
Time zone
When to go
St. Barth runs on two clear rhythms. The high season, from mid-December through to mid-April, is busy, social, and unmistakably international — with the days around Christmas and New Year reaching extraordinary intensity. The off-season from June through November is genuinely quiet; many restaurants close, the harbour empties, and the island returns to itself. Easter is its own punctuation point. May and November are excellent shoulder months for those who want warmth without the crowds.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
Peak season
Shoulder
Green Season
Getting there
St. Barth’s airport — Gustaf III, named for the eighteenth-century Swedish king — has one of the most demanding runways in commercial aviation. At 650 metres long, sloping downhill onto a public beach, it accepts only STOL-certified aircraft and a small number of qualified pilots. The vast majority of guests arrive via Princess Juliana International (SXM) on St. Martin and onward by short hop, ferry, or private boat.
Things to do
The Turks and Caicos rewards the water. Guests who plan their days around it tend to return year after year. The reef is the defining feature of the territory; almost everything else flows from it.
Saline and Gouverneur on the south coast are the wildest and least developed. Colombier — reachable only on foot or by boat — is perhaps the most beautiful. Shell Beach, just outside Gustavia, is named for the calcareous shells that make up its sand. Each beach has its own character, and most guests develop favourites quickly.
The St. Barth restaurant scene is genuinely exceptional. L’Esprit, Bonito, La Guérite, Le Toiny, Maya’s, Tamarin, and Le Hideaway represent the upper end. Eddy’s in Gustavia and the long lunches at Nikki Beach or Bagatelle are part of the rhythm.
Gustavia’s harbour is one of the great anchorages of the winter season. Day charters out to Île Fourchue or up to Tintamarre, sunset sails, and crewed yacht stays are all easily arranged through our concierge team.
Gustavia’s narrow streets hold a concentration of luxury houses — Hermès, Cartier, Bulgari, Louis Vuitton — that is unusual for an island this size. The boutiques along Rue de la République remain genuinely useful for those wintering on the island.
The trail from Anse des Cayes to Colombier crosses the most dramatic stretch of cliff coastline on the island. The walk from Saline back through the salt ponds is gentler. Both reward early starts.
The Réserve Naturelle around Île Fourchue and Île Pelé offers excellent diving in clear water; the snorkel at Petite Anse is one of the most reliable shore-entry sites in the Lesser Antilles.
Toiny on the windward side delivers consistent waves for experienced surfers; Lorient is more forgiving and a good spot for boards from the local rental shops.
The harbour town is the social hub of the island. A late-afternoon coffee at Le Select, an aperitif at Bar de l’Oubli, and an early dinner is one of the established island rituals.
Our St. Barth portfolio is concentrated on the hillsides above the major beaches — Gouverneur, Lurin, Pointe Milou, Lorient, and the Toiny coast — with a small number of properties closer to Gustavia. Every villa has been visited and assessed by our team. We know which properties catch the sunset, which sit on the right side of the prevailing wind, and which work for the kind of stay you have in mind.
Gustavia . St. Barth
Colony Club A2
2 Guests
1 Beds
HD Smart TV
Air-Conditioning
Fully Equipped Kitchen
WIFI
Communal Pool
Nespresso Machine
From
$ 450 / night
Marigot . St. Barth
Mustique
12 Guests
6 Beds
AC in bedrooms
Heated Pool
HD Smart TV
WIFI
From
$ 2857 / night
Petite Saline . St. Barth
Jable
12 Guests
6 Beds
AC in bedrooms
WIFI
No Smoking
HD Smart TV
From
$ 2714 / night
Practical information
Entry requirements
UK, US, EU, and Canadian passport holders. Valid passport required. EU entry rules apply.
Currency
The Euro is official; US dollars accepted everywhere. Cards universal.
Climate
25–30°C year-round. Sits within the Atlantic hurricane belt; peak risk August through October.
Electricity
French plugs (Type C/E). UK and US devices require adaptors.
Driving
French convention. EU and international licences accepted.
Time zone
Atlantic Standard Time. No daylight saving observed.
Connectivity
4G/LTE island-wide. All Simply Islands villas have fibre WiFi.
Healthcare
Hôpital de Bruyn in Gustavia handles routine care; serious cases transfer to Guadeloupe or Miami. Travel insurance essential.
A note from our team
Every villa in our St. Barth portfolio has been personally visited by our team. We know which Gouverneur villas catch the morning light at the right angle, which Lurin properties sit on the right side of the prevailing trade wind, and which work best for a particular kind of stay. If you would like honest guidance on the right pocket of the island for your group, call us. The differences between properties are not always obvious from photographs alone.
