St. Martin Reaches
Beyond Sea & Sun

By Patricia Earnest

French St. Martin is an interesting fusion of cultures and an island currently peacefully divided between French and Dutch interests, but revealing at every turn the effects of the passing waves of conquest.

Beyond Fun in the Sun

Cupecoy's Famous Rock

If you tire of relaxing on the beautiful beaches, lazing in the seductively warm water or strolling among the boutiques and market stalls of Marigot on the French side, other opportunities abound.

The "Sur la trace des Arawaks" museum in Marigot offers an attractive display of artifacts and a pictorical history of the island.

A three-hour bus tour of the island is availa ble throught he museum for $30 per person, minimum four persons, Museum entrance fee: adults-$5, children-$2.

Remnants of earlier-day residents are being unearthed each year at the Hope Estate in the hills near Grand Case. Teams of professional archaeologists and volunteers are patiently marking off and excavating sections of land.

All this takes place each year in February and March and visitors can view the progress. So far, artifacts have been found dating back to 550 BC. Pottery remains link decorative styles with those of Venezuela, showing a pattern of migration from the Orinoco basin in what we know today as Latin America.

Visitors interested in arts and crafts, can purchase pottery that echoes the Arawak patterns and shapes at Pottery Arawak at Orient Bay, or follow a "Painters' Route" to visit artists at work.

Accommodations & Dining

The Marigot Market

     
On the northwest side of the island, facing Anguilla, Grand Case village spreads along a narrow shoreline and is about a half-hour drive from the ariports depending on the traffic. When you arrive, it's like stepping into another reality. The pace slows to a crawl as you snake past the gourmet restaurants and eclectic boutiques that jostle each other along the narrow main street bordering the ocean.

At the far end sits the Grand Case Beach Club, with 75 studio/apartments arranged along the shore in several low buildings. Water sports are offered, there's also a swimming pool and a restaurant and bar that can hold its own with some of the finest on the island. All rooms have AC, private balcony or terrace and a fully equipped kitchen. Also, the bathrooms are roomy and comfortable.

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