- Geography:
- At about 8500 km and 2500 km from Paris to New York, a small island seems to bask in along the water by 17.55 North and 62.50 West. If Saint-Barthélemy Island, St. Barts for short, is tiny with 24 km ², the last census there is still state of 8398 inhabitants or 335 inhabitants per km ².
- Considered one of the oldest volcanic islands in the chain of Lesser Antilles, its rocky, arid is not for agriculture. But its rugged coastline fringed with sparkling sand gave it a destiny no less enviable destination resort away from large gatherings tourism.
- History:
- Under the name of legendary Ouanalao, Saint-Barthélemy was probably already inhabited long ago by the Arawak Indians when Christopher Columbus discovered it on his second trip to the "Indies" in 1493 and called it after his brother Bartolomeo. Low economic and strategic interest, the island was soon to fall into oblivion for the settlers in search of new lands rich in gold and other treasures. Native American, Caribbean, Taino or Arawacks, defended somehow this small area. But alas, the face of European settlers, the struggle proved uneven.
- It was not until 1648 that Mr. de Longvilliers Poincy resolved to inhabit the island of Saint-Barthélemy. He sent the Sieur Jacques Gente with forty or fifty men to settle there. But after the terrible massacre de1656, the island was abandoned. Those who had escaped the fury of the Indians were unwilling to return. In 1659, peace being made with them, Mr. de Poincy it sent some 30 men. In 1664 there were a hundred.
- Saint-Barthélemy was acquired from the Order of Malta by the West India Company en1665. In 1666 they returned to Saint Christopher, against their will, all the inhabitants of Saint-Barthélemy and St. Martin, and we tried a new colonization are comprised of Irish evacuees from St. Kitts. This attempt proved a failure because the St. Barth quickly returned to their lands.
- And in 1674, Saint-Barthélemy is attached to the royal domain and the colony of Guadeloupe. Pirates, buccaneers and pirates make their lair, so that in 1744 a coup of the British plundered the island. Some inhabitants in the southern islands. The island having remained attached to France, they returned to 1764.
- In 1763, Descoudrelle took command of the island. This administration was excellent and the inhabitants soon regained their legendary joie de vivre. But nothing can stop the tide of history, and France between the 3rd and Gustave Louis 16th was preparing a curious fate for this little island ... An exchange warehouse in Gothenburg, Sweden against Saint-Barthélemy.
- In 1784 St. Bartholomew become Swedish possession. On March 7, 1785, at eleven o'clock the actual transfer took place on the island. Then open an era of prosperity ever known. King Gustav made good choices and economic Saint-Barthélemy took a boom.
- On the site of the old fairing there will be the birth of the town of Gustavia with its cobbled streets, its strengths: Gustav, Karl and Oscar, the names of the kings of Sweden. We will see reflected a harmonious marriage of stone and wood that will create beautiful buildings that can still be seen today: old town hall, bell tower Swedish brigantine, sub-prefecture, museum-library (former Wall House) ... The port will be named in honor of Gustavia king and become the Free Port. In 1800 the population reached 6000 people.
- A few years of war will shake the island and a series of natural disasters: recurring droughts, cyclones, torrential rains and the unforgettable fire of 1852 which ravaged the southern part of Gustavia. King Oscar II, at a loss with this island that gives it more than trace amounts, finally decided to surrender to France. On March 16, 1878 Saint-Barthélemy finds his French nationality.
- Saint-Barthélemy seems to doze in his discretion. In fact, she continued her little life exhausting but calm and quiet between honor, work and family. Cyclones, drought, disease, social unrest, intrusions of an English fleet, slave revolt stagger their daily lives without thereby destroy their will to survive.
- Harvest salt, small family farming, marine, fishing, weaving straw, peddling, farming. Despite these efforts, the economy is unable to ensure a decent standard of living for the population. Men go to work in the surrounding islands. Families do not hesitate to emigrate to the Virgin Islands, including St. Thomas. Progress gradually starts. Despite the misery created by the impact of the Great War and the lack of water, life is organized. Communal tanks are built in neighborhoods, schools open their doors in the countryside, stretches of road are beginning to emerge through hills and countryside.
- In 1945, Monsieur de Saint-Barth Haenen opens to the world by landing an airplane for the first time in the plain of Saint John. Same time, begins to develop the port of Gustavia.
- By 1960, the departure of students will be down four or five years. They are no longer forced to leave the schooner at the age of eleven years, since college has just opened its doors in Gustavia. A little more comfort is tentatively emerging.
- With the year 1980 the island is growing more important the tourism is gradually becoming the economic engine of the island. The conditions of the schools improve. The sport made a sensational debut, knocking habits. A power supply for a network that is beginning to prevail in the countryside. The airport takes shape and continues to grow today. Other important achievements are born. The island is growing more important that will go on increasing. We start talking about protecting the environment is inevitably overwhelmed by a population that is growing: from 2491 inhabitants in 1974, and now she approaches probably 9000 people.
- Traditions:
- The people of St. Barth is very conservative, proud of his ancestry. Also, no false impressions: the inhabitants of St Barth are secret, but far more welcoming than they show. Tradition often wakes up in the great moments of family life: birth, baptism, first communion, engagement or wedding or funeral.
- During the 19th century, when St Barths regained a semblance of normal life, young men did not hesitate to woo the girls, but discreetly, because the eye of the chaperone spotted any semblance of overflow. All happy occasions will fail, the traditional "dry-ti", the cake or roasted "potatoes poudine to." We went out the accordion, tambourine and maracas and a small ball neighborhood was quickly organized. Sunday Masses, weddings and romantic, and brought out processions or christening the beautiful bathroom. The traditional costume is honored for the feast day or other folk events.
- A few years ago, at the corner of your visits to different parts of the island, you could still see some ladies wearing the traditional headdress. Between the coach and the straw hat and Corossol Colombier and Panama in Cul de Sac, backwater or Vitet, these caps are a symbol. The carriage or Quichenotte, large white headdress, is distinguished by two categories: the carriage plate bracket made from braids sewn together, sticks to the carriage made of thin wooden stick inserted into the spaces created for this purpose. There was also the cape (which no longer exists except in the museum of Gustavia) made of fabric, blue and black to work for the outputs. All these served as head covering to protect from sun and scrapes of wood collected for the kitchen and were also very useful to keep the few English and Swedish too enterprising, hence the name Quichenotte (not kiss me). Later the coach gave way to the straw hat.
- Gastronomy:
- From a small family restaurant with great gourmet restaurants, St. Barts is definitely the destination for all lovers of good food.
- You will enjoy, both in traditional cuisine with fish and vegetables countries, with fusion cuisine, a blend of cooking around the world.
- The typical dish of St. Barth is the pancake "fried" or "roasted" and was originally one of the bases of the diet with fish and fruits and vegetables grown on the island.
- Shopping: St Barts Island is ideal for shopping with confidence: in Gustavia, the most prestigious luxury brand boutiques rub shoulders with young French designers collections ideal to wear on the island. The boutiques offer decorative objects conventional heterogeneous or mottled exception around the world. Most shops are located in St. Jean and Gustavia and offer attractive tax prices.
- Well-being: As a secret nestled in a secret, hotels in Saint Barthélemy contain a key to happiness: a range of spas and spa institutes among the finest in the world, led by professionals beauty and well being endorsed by the greatest names in the beauty and cosmetics world.