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St. Barths Hotels European Plan
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Introduction to St. Barths
New friends call it "St. Barts," while
old-time visitors prefer "St. Barths." Either way, it's short for
St. Barth?emy (San Bar-te-le-mee), named by its discoverer Columbus
in 1493. For the most part, St. Bartians are descendants of Breton
and Norman fisherfolk. Many are of French and Swedish ancestry, the
latter evident in their fair skin, blond hair, and blue eyes. The
mostly Caucasian population is small, about 6,500 living in some 21
sq. km (8 1/4 sq. miles), 24km (15 miles) southeast of St. Martin
and 225km (140 miles) north of Guadeloupe.
Occasionally you'll see St. Bartians dressed in the
provincial costumes of Normandy and speaking Norman French. In little Corossol,
more than anywhere else, people sometimes follow customs brought from
17th-century France. You might see elderly women wearing the traditional
starched white bonnets, at least on special occasions. The bonnets, known as
quichenottes (a corruption of "kiss-me-not"), served as protection from the
close attentions of English or Swedish men on the island. The bonneted women can
also be spotted at local celebrations, particularly on August 25, St. Louis's
Day. Many of these women are camera-shy, but they offer their homemade baskets
and hats for sale to visitors.
For a long time, the island was a paradise for a few
millionaires, such as David Rockefeller, who had a hideaway on the northwest
shore, and Edmond de Rothschild, who occupies some fabulous acres at the "other
end" of the island. Nowadays, however, St. Barts is developing a broader base of
tourism as it opens more hotels. Nevertheless, the island continues to be a
favorite of celebrities, attracting the likes of Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, and
Mikhail Baryshnikov.
St. Barts also attracts a lot of star-seeking
paparazzi, who stalk celebrities not only at their private villas, but also at
the beach, including Grand Saline beach, where the late John F. Kennedy, Jr.,
was photographed bathing in the nude (which is common and legal at this beach).
On another occasion, the paparazzi caught Brad Pitt sunning in the nude at his
private villa, with then-girlfriend Gwyneth Paltrow. In February, the island
guest list reads like a roster from Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.
The island's capital is Gustavia, named after a
Swedish king. It's St. Barts's only town and seaport. A sheltered harbor, it has
the appearance of a little dollhouse-scale port.
Additional Information about travel to St. Barths
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