Welcome to the Saint Barthélemy travel & news blog. On this site you'll find an extensive and up to date guide to the island (links on the left), as well as news from and about St. Barts from Candee Duensing of "St. Barth News Bytes". You can read the articles and leave comments, and you can also ask and answer questions on our St. Bart's forum. Saint Barthélemy is a serene and special island that will remind visitors more of the south of France than the Caribbean. This tiny island has 22 beautiful beaches, as well as some of the finest accommodations (hotels and private villas) and dining in the region. The island is known for the famous faces it attracts every winter as celebrities from around the world flee the cold on this magical tropical paradise.
Fleur de Lune offers traditional-style cottages and guest rooms in a charming setting about a 10-minute walk from the popular and beautiful beach of Saline. Fleur de Lune has a covered terrace that serves as a common area, providing a dining table for up to 12 guests, a living area, a small library and a home cinema with a plasma screen. Guests are invited to use the fully equipped kitchen to prepare meals, if desired; Creole cuisine is also available. The 15' x 9' swimming pool is located between the cottage and the common area. The "Case" is an independent St Barth bungalow that contains a king-size bed and two single beds, flat-screen TV, DVD player, iPod station, WIFI, a kitchenette, refrigerator, air-conditioning in the bedrooms, hair dryer, bathrobes and beach towels. Cottages and guest rooms start at 110 euros, including breakfast, round-trip transportation from the airport or harbor and daily housekeeping. For more information, visit www.saintbarthgitefleurdelune.com, email them at stbarth.prestigeservices@gmail.com, or call them at 05 90 27 70 57.
The Wall House, which is a very successful and popular restaurant on La Pointe in Gustavia across the street from the harbor, has undergone a change in ownership. The previous owner, Franck Mathevet, is moving to Montreal in November to spend some time with his son. He has sold his share of the restaurant to his colleague since 2006, Bernard Tatin. M. Tatin has hired a young chef from France, but several of the current chefs and waiters plan on staying also. M. Mathevet has graciously shared his recipes for some of the most popular dishes with M. Tatin. But, M. Mathevet's departure from the island will be brief. He and his wife will be returning in April and plan to open a new business. No indication at the moment as to what that new business will be, but one might logically think that he'll be opening a new restaurant.
July 18, 2009 Fete de l'Anse des Cayes First of the beach festivals with games, competitions, food, beverages and music in the evening.
July 25-26, 2009 Fete des Quartiers du Nord Lottery, games, food, beverages, competitions and a public ball organized by ASCCO / Colombier
August 8-9, 2009 Fete des Quartiers du Vent Fishing tournament, regattas, games, food, beverages, volleyball, lottery and public ball in Lorient
August 14-15, 2009 Pitea Day Commemorates the twinning of St. Barths and Pitea, Sweden. Held on the beach in Public.
August 15, 2009 SBJAM Festival Groups from around the Caribbean will be playing on the quay in Gustavia
August 24, 2009 Fete de St. Barthelemy Festival to celebrate the island's patron saint, Saint Bartholomew. Political and social functions, regattas, public ball and fireworks on the quay in Gustavia.
August 25, 2009 Fete de St. Louis The last beach festival of the summer is held in the tiny fishing village of Corossal. Games, competitions, regattas, food, beverages, lottery, and a public ball.
November 5-8, 2009 Jazz Festival
November 6-8, 2009 60th Anniversary Party at Le Select in Gustavia
Entre-Deux recently opened in Gustavia in the location of the former La Gamelle, which after closing became the site of the restaurant Central Park, which recently closed. This latest restaurant is owned and run by Jackson and Sinclair Questel. Many of you might know Jackson as the former bartender at Le Bete a Z'ailes (or BAZ). You won't see Entre-Deux from the street as it is located behind the store Totem.
Rebirth of La Saladerie? Rumor has it that Thiery and Patrick, of the former Saladerie, were working on the building that housed the now-closed Jao restaurant on La Pointe in Gustavia and are expected to open a new restaurant there the end of June: Harbour Saladerie. La Saladerie was their former restaurant, which was located just steps away.
The road to Grand Fond, via the road in Lorient, is being completely redone and is closed until the end of the summer or early fall. To get to that side of the island, you'll need to take the road through Marigot and Grand Cul de Sac.
The St Barth Sprout Farm has recently opened. They will be supplying wheatgrass, sprouts and micro-greens. Although they are not listing their location, you can call them at 06 90 59 30 09.
The National Syndicate of Pilots for Air Caraibes has announced that the pilots are planning to be on strike every weekend from June 20 until September 7. They are striking in hopes of gaining more respect for time to relax between flights, paid vacation, improvement in working conditions, and new rules for calculating salaries. Air Caraibes is one of the airlines that flies between St Maarten and St Barth. Others to contact are WinAir (www.fly-winair.com) and St Barth Commuter (www.stbarthcommuter.com).
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is implementing new travel requirements and is giving each airline its own set of dates to meet these requirements. The requirement is that by mid-summer the name of a traveler's air reservation must exactly match the name as shown on the traveler's passport or other government-issued photo identification. If you have a Frequent Flyer account, you should ensure that the name on the account matches the names on your passport to guarantee that the booking process is smooth and that you receive your proper mileage credit. For additional information, visit the TSA web site TSA Secure Flight.
Aquagym and adult swimming lessons are being offered at the municipal pool in St Jean. The schedule for Aquagym includes a focus on arms and legs on Mondays from 12:20 to 1:05 and on abs and gluts on Thursdays from 12:20 to 1:05. The swimming lessons will take place on Tuesdays and Fridays from noon until 1:00 and Wednesdays from 5:00 to 6:00. The lessons will focus on swimming techniques, endurance, resistance and breathing. Medical certificates are required for both classes. Both the pool and the facilities are top notch and the instructors are well qualified. I can vouch for the Aquagym - good exercise without getting hot and sweaty--for those of you who like to stay cool!
On June 1, an effort to clean up the beach of Petite Anse will be underway. They are looking for volunteers to clean up any garbage and other debris as well as trucks to cart the debris away. If you want to help, call 590 590 27 88 18 or pass by the office of the Marine Reserve on the quay in Gustavia.
The AirSoft SBH Iguana Association invites all AirSoft players to join them on Sunday, May 17. If you would like to participate or would like more information, call 590 690 39 04 94.
St Barth has undertaken yet another anti-pollution initiative. Now, before cars are crushed for disposal, they are drained of all fluids: oil, gas, antifreeze and brake fluid. The service has been effect since last March and takes only 15 minutes.
Hotel Saint-Barth Isle de France on the beach in Flamands is offering a special summer rate of 95 euros for their spa services starting May 1.
The Tom Beach Hotel, on the beach in St Jean, is offering a Memorial Day special. You can rent a Superior Garden View room for $270/night or a Deluxe Sea View room for $400/night. Room fees include car rental, a continental breakfast at their beachfront, open-air restaurant La Plage or in your room, and chaise lounges and towels for the beach. This offer requires a minimum 3-night stay during the Memorial Day weekend.
CFN to Co-Sponsor 6th Edition of the Chess Championship
Since 2004, Saint-Barth Echecs, the local chess club, has organized a chess championship play-off that has been co-sponsored by Sibarth and Saint-Barth Assurances. As Sibarth is ready to retire its partnership this year, it will be assumed by CFN, Caribbean Financial Network-American Express, which is located in St Jean next to the grocery store Match. The tournament, Chess Championship Trophy CFN/Amex, will take place May 29-May 31 at the Hotel Guanahani and Spa in Grand Cul de Sac. Players from age 16 and up are eligible and can sign up by calling 590 690 55 12 14. There will be a total of seven games, the first one taking place on Friday, May 29 at 8:00, then four games on Saturday, with the final two rounds occurring on Sunday. First prize if 150 euros, second prize is 100 euros, and third prize is 50 euros. Dal Tucker of CFN, is a skilled chess player and will taking on the challenge this year. Bonne chance a tous!
Hotel Le Toiny is a luxury hotel situated on 38 oceanfront acres on the southeastern side of the island. They have long been known for their private villa suites and fine dining at the restaurant Le Gaiac. They have now taken the cuisine up yet another notch by establishing their own 1000 square-foot greenhouse - the first on the island. After consulting with a horticulturist, they enriched the soil with bio-organic earth and organic fertilizer and then planted organic seeds supplied by a company in France. Currently, they are growing eight varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, carrots, peas, eggplants, peppers, melons and a host of herbs, all of which is incorporated into their daily menu. Future plans include adding bananas, papayas and mangos. Kudos to Le Toiny for their dedication to fresh and healthy food!
If you stay at the hotel Eden Roc in St Jean, your kids can participate in an art lesson given by the artist in residence. Eden Rock will supply an easel, a paint brush and a palate of watercolors to get them started. This offer runs through August 2009. But, if you're interested in this offer, check with the hotel when you make your reservations as the lessons are only available when an artist is actually in residence. For more information, visit www.edenrochotel.com.
On April 19, on the square in front of the restaurant The Wall House on La Pointe in Gustavia, the Rotary Club hosted a culinary fair to raise money for the many activities with which they are involved. One of their foremost endeavors is the worldwide eradication of polio. This first culinary fair offered dishes from Haiti, St Barth, Portugal, India, Sweden, Belgian and Luxembourg to go or to eat on site. Entertainment was provided by the radio station Tropic FM, and Rotary Club members took turns at the microphone to explain the characteristics of the different cuisines and to offer the recipes. The fair was such a success that it will return again in 2010.
Even the humpback whales seem to prefer the waters of St Barth! The whales migrate here to give birth, and the marine park is getting calls three to four times a week reporting whale sightings. If you happen to be on a boat when you spot the whales, it is safest to travel alongside them maintaining a parallel course at least 100 meters away. Approaching them from the back or front is threatening, and they will do what is necessary to protect their young. Enjoy the opportunity if you are so lucky and respect their habitat and space.
Trade Wind Aviation, which flies from San Juan, Puerto Rico directly to St Barth, has recently released their schedule for 2009-2010. They will depart St Barth at 10:00 am. Their special rate, which is good only through May1, is $350 for a one-way midweek flight and $450 for a one-way weekend flight. Normal fares are typicall $100 more, but you can contact them for more information at www.tradewindaviation.com.
The store Laurent Effel in Gustavia will be closing.
Our thanks to the following organizations: The Office Municipal du Tourisme de Saint Barthélemy for supplying some of the information in these pages, and The Association des Hoteliers de Saint Barthélemy for the St. Barts maps which are used with their permission.
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Welcome to the Saint Barthélemy travel & news blog. On this site you'll find an extensive and up to date guide to the island (links on the left), as well as 
Fleur de Lune offers traditional-style cottages and guest rooms in a charming setting about a 10-minute walk from the popular and beautiful beach of Saline. Fleur de Lune has a covered terrace that serves as a common area, providing a dining table for up to 12 guests, a living area, a small library and a home cinema with a plasma screen. Guests are invited to use the fully equipped kitchen to prepare meals, if desired; Creole cuisine is also available. The 15' x 9' swimming pool is located between the cottage and the common area. The "Case" is an independent St Barth bungalow that contains a king-size bed and two single beds, flat-screen TV, DVD player, iPod station, WIFI, a kitchenette, refrigerator, air-conditioning in the bedrooms, hair dryer, bathrobes and beach towels. Cottages and guest rooms start at 110 euros, including breakfast, round-trip transportation from the airport or harbor and daily housekeeping. For more information, visit www.saintbarthgitefleurdelune.com, email them at stbarth.prestigeservices@gmail.com, or call them at 05 90 27 70 57.
The Tom Beach Hotel, on the beach in St Jean, is offering a Memorial Day special. You can rent a Superior Garden View room for $270/night or a Deluxe Sea View room for $400/night. Room fees include car rental, a continental breakfast at their beachfront, open-air restaurant La Plage or in your room, and chaise lounges and towels for the beach. This offer requires a minimum 3-night stay during the Memorial Day weekend. 
If you stay at the hotel Eden Roc in St Jean, your kids can participate in an art lesson given by the artist in residence. Eden Rock will supply an easel, a paint brush and a palate of watercolors to get them started. This offer runs through August 2009. But, if you're interested in this offer, check with the hotel when you make your reservations as the lessons are only available when an artist is actually in residence. For more information, visit 
