A bottle of French wine is on the counter of my room when I check into Grand Case Beach Club. It’s a lovely touch, and a first reminder that here on the tiny divided island of St. Martin, the “French side,” as Saint-Martin is affectionately called, is fully a part of France. Yes, this – blue Caribbean waters, tropical trees, white sand, and eager tourists soaking them all up – is France. It’s just a different France than most think of.
Every colonial power has dealt with the remnants of their empires differently, thus the rather confusing difference between the two sides of the world’s smallest divided landmass. The Dutch side of Sint Maarten is a constituent country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, a semi-independent entity that handles most of its own affairs other than defense. (Aruba and Curacao are similarly situated within the Kingdom.) Saint-Martin, on the other hand, is not very different politically than any other department of France. Those here vote in French elections, have French healthcare and pensions, and are paid in Euro.
I settle into my room, change into my bathing suit, and head down to Petite Plage, literally little beach, one of two small and pristine sandy patches Grand Case Beach Club borders. I drop my stuff on a beach chair under an umbrella – while the beach is public, such features are reserved for hotel guests – and walk across the soft sand, wading into the warm Caribbean waters. Thoughts of political status, comparisons to European France, and cares in general vanish into the blue skies and bluer water. I float, I swim, I smile.
For lovers of culture, and especially French culture, Grand Case is the perfect destination here in Saint-Martin. While Marigot is the capital and offers the colonial history, Grand Case offers that thing France does better than almost anyone: food. Even Alexandra Chirlias, Grand Case Beach Club’s fabulous General Manager, agrees. I sit down with her to talk about what it means to be France here in the Caribbean. Her response is quite simple. She says it means you get the best of France, specifically French food, but with the vibes of the island.
Of course, it isn’t that simple. Over the course of a lovely half hour spent at one of the hotel’s dozen or so cute sitting areas, Alexandra and I – joined by Laura Pikullik, the resort’s Director of Marketing – talk about how Saint-Martin, and Grand Case in particular, is both totally French and completely Caribbean.
The duality is the thing they are most proud of. French cooking with Caribbean seafood and spices. French attention to detail with the Caribbean relaxed attitude. French wine and local rum. The beauty of the French language with a totally un-stereotypically-French openness to meet guests in English. (Just about everyone here in Saint-Martin speaks English, and with the majority of tourists being American, those in customer-facing roles actually default to English.)
After some time spent luxuriating in the water, it’s time to sample that amazing French cooking. This is where Grand Case shines, and why my choice of home here is so perfect. This is the dining hub of Saint-Martin, and for those of us lucky enough to stay at Grand Case Beach Club, it means a mere fifteen minute walk (or hotel shuttle for a few Euro) to the town’s restaurant row, where one can eat roadside Caribbean BBQ called lolo, grab a drink at a number of seaside bars, or treat yourself to fine dining that is as good as I’ve had anywhere in France.
Even the hotel’s restaurant, Sunset Cafe, offers incredible hybrid French-Caribbean cuisine. Local clams in white wine and cream, seared local John Dory with melted leeks and beurre blanc, local yellowfin tataki… all are incredible, representative of the place we are in, and served with the smiles that this most friendly of islands offers to all who come. And each meal I have ends with a shot of local rum.
Fine dining in Grand Case offers a unique challenge: which amazing looking restaurant to visit. I opt for Ocean 82 for the reviews, the menu, and the fact that I can make a reservation on OpenTable before I arrive. A half bottle of Sancerre recommended to me by the sommelier (who recently won the best at her craft in the entire French Caribbean!) pairs perfectly with the amazing local seafood: a trio of mahi mahi tartares, seared scallops with smoked duck and foie gras, and snapper ballantine – baked snapper stuffed with more snapper – again with foie gras sauce.
It is France at its best, with views one can’t find in Paris or Lyon.
For a more casual take on French fare, Max’s offers rum cocktails to pair with both sweet and savory crepes. Or grab some French-inspired tapas and more cocktails next door at Quai 58, celebrating Caribbean life with a largely local – in my experience – crowd. The wine list is also, not surprisingly, rather extensive.
And of course, it wouldn’t be France without fresh croissants. Have a chocolate croissant at Maison Chocolat. If you can time them right out of the oven as I did (totally by chance), your smile will last you the rest of the morning.
Over the course of just a few days here in Grand Case, I come to feel at home. I have my favorite beach chair – a different one for my morning coffee than for my afternoon swim – and my favorite table at Sunset Cafe, along with my favorite shady sitting spot for reading and even my favorite corner (right beneath the restaurant) for snorkeling. I have my French wine, my hellos and bonjours from the staff and other guests, the soft sand on my feet and the warm water lapping at my legs.
The rooms – at least my room – are lovely, with small kitchens (and coffee!), strong WiFi and AC, and a patio or balcony in case one doesn’t want to sit in a more public spot. And if you do want those public spots, nooks with couches and books are available, as are seating areas overlooking the water, or the stunning pool deck on top of the restaurant with full views up and down the coast. Just make sure you substitute out your oohs and ahhs for a more suitable French ooh la la.
Saint-Martin is as French as any part of the country can be. But it’s also more. It is more open, more friendly, more eager to be approached than most of France. It is accepting, laid back, easy in a way that even Nice and its beautiful Mediterranean coast isn’t. It is the best of France without the challenging bits, substituting those for Caribbean warmth, both in the weather and in the people.
So if you like France, if you thrive on French food, and if you love those things that make France truly special, this place is for you. Come to Saint-Martin, to my home here at Grand Case Beach Club, and find a France that you’ll keep in your heart forever. France with a Caribbean soul. It is a thing to behold.
Thank you so much to Alexandra Chirlias and Grand Case Beach Club for hosting my stay, and for the warmth you and the entire staff showed me. I will be back.
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