The Vendôme Guide to St. Barthelemy

from The Vendôme Guide to St. Barthelemy

It’s morning on St. Barths and we’re all at Pearl Beach. Hubby, parents, sister, brotherin-law and three kids ages one to four, and my pregnant self. I assume the waitresses flinch when we arrive, which we do nearly every day. Honey coats the children’s fingers. Croissant flakes stick to their faces. They’re wet in their bathing suits and crusted with sand from toes to cheeks. Any moment can bring either a tantrum or total glee. When it’s just about time to leave, they appeal to their grandfather: “Can we please have one more croissant, Bompsy!?” (“Bon-papa” iterated to Bomps and now Bompsy.) And the answer is usually yes, because Bompsy loves croissants, too. This morning in St. Barths is chaotic and fun, and inherently special because it’s the middle of February, six weeks past our original departure date.

Our morning routine of swims at St. Jean followed by bacon, eggs and honey at Pearl Beach started like all traditions do. We tried it and loved it, so we keep on doing it. The same applies to the attraction we all discover for the island itself. You tried it, you loved it, so you just kept coming back.

Over this past year, many of you came back, and when it came down to it, you decided to stay, which often meant switching villas. I jumped at the chance to take anyone interested on an in-person tour. Sure, we had a few mishaps: stalling on the hill up to Camaruche; scaling about five driveways on foot in Petit Cul de Sac in search of a villa entrance. We found new favorite locations and new perspectives on the island we love. Over the course of that extended time here, I discovered a new appreciation for the human connection, the smiles and the conversations, and the chance to meet so many of you.

When you stay more than two weeks on St. Barths, you settle into a new level of relaxation and belonging. You nail the back roads from St. Jean to Lurin, driving onehanded. Shoeless in the grocery store somehow isn’t weird. You swim Saturdays at Saline and Sundays at Gouverneur, and when Monday comes, you wonder how time spent any other way could be this restorative. For all its challenges, one thing this past year gave us was time, and I’m thankful we had so much of it together as a family, and for the opportunity it gave me to make new friends.

Looking back on this year, one friend we will remember fondly and miss deeply is David Zara, who passed away this summer. His extraordinary presence and hilarious sense of humor really reverberated throughout the island. He had a visibly loving nature. And while quiet wouldn’t be the first word to describe him, he quietly helped this island in so many ways – from being a strong advocate, to helping clients make crucial airport connections, to translating for so many people with the many languages he spoke. We call it the WIMCO family, and David was a huge part of it.

As you open up the pages of this edition of The Vendôme Guide, I hope you are with your favorite people, in your favorite place. And if you can find a way, stay a little longer than you planned.

Enjoy, and I can’t wait to see you this year on St. Barths.

All best,

Take a quick peek inside...

p. 30 Déjeuner the Island Way Make midday meals memorable at these by-the-sea restaurants.

Discover how this hilltop-view hotel has reinvented itself with a beachfront location that rivals the established seaside go-to spots on the island. St. Barths’ “côte sauvage” offers incredible Caribbean views far from the activity of Gustavia and St. Jean. Watch surfers ride the waves as you enjoy locally sourced salads and fish brought in the same morning by the island’s fishermen.

p. 36 Le Dîner A new wave of both renowned and rising culinary stars reshapes dinner on the island.

If you are lucky enough to have fallen in love with St. Barths decades ago, then you have seen Tamarin go through a few iterations, each of them delightful in its own way. bonus points if you ever took a dip in the short-lived above-ground pool! Tamarin’s new owners have preserved the atmosphere of the most enchanting tropical garden on the island and upped the ante with a menu that ranges from the delicious simplicity of butter-roasted cod to rich and complex dishes like slow-cooked, herb-crusted rack of lamb. The dessert specialty not to be missed is the pineapple carpaccio with sorbet made, fittingly, of tamarin fruit.

p. 50 Sharing Our Favorite Place A couple that loves St. Barths discovers how great a family destination it can be.

Text and Photography by Lucy Cuneo

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This article is from:

The Vendôme Guide to St. Barthelemy