Little Gustavia, capital of the French Caribbean island of St. Barthélemy, is a fine showcase for local culture and traditions while also displaying a wider connection to the international cosmopolitan retail and culinary worlds present along its winding streets. Once a Swedish colonial outpost, the Gustavia of today merged from its past as a quiet harborside fishing village in the mid-twentieth century when St. Barths caught the interest of international globetrotters and trendsetters.
Thanks to the interest that American mogul David Rockefeller took in this small island in the post-war years, its real estate potential blossomed. In the present day, St. Barths has become a favoured hub for discerning and affluent travellers worldwide who arrive here throughout the year by super yacht and private jet.
Events and festivals —from nautical to arts, design, and carnival times
With its harborfront location and pedestrian-friendly streets and walkways, Gustavia today provides an idyllic setting for annual and occasional events. The ideal months to be here for many of its active events are in March and April, when the Bucket Regatta, West Indies Regatta, and Les Voiles de Saint Barths (lesvoilesdesaintbarth.com) all take place. For those not personally arriving here by sea, Gustavia still offers a strong nautical engagement through these and other regattas, which have built-out racing villages where sailors gather before and after racing each day, in addition to the opening ceremony, daily awards, and closing ceremony. More than 1,000 participants are on-site for this sailing spectacle each year. On the cultural side, there are celebrations in every medium around town throughout the year – for instance, the annual St. Barths Film Festival (stbarthff.org) presenting current Caribbean and international film, and including an opening night soirée along the Gustavia harbor-front and a closing night event at the casual chic Le Repaire restaurant (rue de la République).
During winter and summer months, music fans can immerse themselves in over a week of live performances at the St. Barths Music Festival (www.stbartsmusicfestival.org), held in January and featuring live performances in informal settings by internationally prominent musical and dance artists in both classical and contemporary genres. Also noteworthy for its exhibits of the visual arts spanning photography, sculpture, and painting is the spring and summer one-night Artists of St. Barth Art Party featuring pop-up parties dedicated to local artists, with some events hosted in town at the Musée Territorial (https://artistsofstbarth.org).
And like elsewhere across the Caribbean, island spirit and tradition express their core identity on St. Barths with the annual appearance of mardi gras and carnival. Each March, the streets of Gustavia are energised with a colorful parade, live music, decorated faces and fun costumes, with celebrations continuing through the night. The following day, which is also Ash Wednesday, an effigy of Vaval, the Carnival King, is burned in a large bonfire on Shell Beach, a short walk from the harbor, all with more music and drumming.
Fashion adventure – Global to local haute couture and design
While it is always easy to explore Gustavia’s avenues casually for the town’s fashion and style panorama, you can also plan in advance on some avenue-specific locations that offer the most extensive presence, specifically, rue de la République, rue du Roi Oscar II, and the rue du Général de Gaulle. Along with these key avenues for fashion are very walkable, multi-level outdoor retail structures such as Carré d’Or Plaza.
For those with sufficient time to explore even further, many of the side and connecting streets of downtown are also home to some fine boutiques and markets carrying both European and local couture and accessories. So for instance, while many of the legends of French and other European haute couture and jewellery have a boutique presence at Gustavia’s main shopping hotspots — such as Hermès and Bulgari on rue de la République, or American legendary fashion names such as Ralph Lauren at their Carré d’O storefront – the diligent design hunter will also make time to stop in along nearby streets that are home to other notable names that include Lacoste at Boutique Lacoste, or Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and Chopard.
Also noteworthy in catering for the finest in resort, sports, and casual styles from both European and island-based designers are other area shops such as Poupette St. Barth, Marina St. Barth, Linde Gallery, Mademoiselle Hortense, La Chemise Tropezienne, Lolita Jaca, Victoire, and Vanita Rosa. For distinctive jewellery and high-end accessories, store names to watch for here include Laurent Effel and Fabienne Miot. Summer sales on the island take place in August, when promotions, sales, and fairs are held in various shops, including many within Gustavia.
Dining and beverage diversity – Gallic to cosmopolitan or island-style
In between savouring the varied dimensions of Gustavia in high-end shopping, exhibitions, or festivals, time spent in the St. Barths capital is always even finer for the interludes of the equally outstanding range of culinary and bar and bistro fare found across the town and along its waterfront. In fact, from small traditional eateries to temples of gastronomy, there are over 80 in total islandwide to sample from, and many within Gustavia. St Barths’ cuisine has strong French and Italian influences, and award-winning chefs artfully blend seductive French-style recipes and Caribbean informality to the highest culinary standards.
While new names in local fine cuisine emerge frequently to sample on any visit, others have become an established fixture on the culinary scene within Gustavia. In this enduring category, and for those who might appreciate the waterfront ambiance and its views to be savored hereabouts, there is the reliable excellence of the Bagatelle St. Barth for its terrace dining, or the brasserie-style experience to be had at Le Repaire. At a higher price range but worth every penny is the Gallic fare to be had at Maya’s overlooking the harbor, where fresh local seafood and local vegetables are the specialties. Then in November, the island launches its Winter season by hosting the Caribbean Rum Festival in a week of culinary and rum pairing celebrations. Of course, another way to experience the diversity of cuisine is to be here for the fare from elegant to casual, but always done to perfection, and served at many of the intown festivals. Aside from the delicious ambiance to be had at harbor-front dining spots, the outdoor or indoor bistros and small dining spots that pop up along the pedestrian-friendly streets or shopping hubs, such as Le Carré d’Or, offer their own dining experience with an outward view of the elegant street facades. Historic and contemporary canvas — from streetside to harbor’s edge. Just as integral to Gustavia’s character as its commercial and festive aspects are its own historic and local landmarks. Easy to access and intriguing to view is the harbor-front Le Musée Territorial de Saint Barthélemy, the Territorial Museum (www.comstbarth.fr/musee_territorial.aspx), located on La Pointe, next to the Hôtel de la Collectivité. This well-worn edifice dates back to 1785 and houses artefacts that reveal the island’s traditional heritage. In recent years, the museum has reached out to a wider public by dedicating two of its rooms to contemporary art, with a non-profit association organising exhibits by modern painters which run from December through April.
Ultimately, the most meaningful engagement with Gustavia today comes through the visitor’s own experiences in all the town’s dimensions. That individual experience here is accessed within Gustavia’s historic or architectural context, together with its exterior urban profusion of natural vegetation, from tall palm to lower-lying ferns and evergreen shrubs, which all combine with the man-made structure of street facades and a nearby waterfront to produce the wider ambiance for that distinct encounter at any time of year. This wider canvas of the human and natural, together with the sumptuous choices on hand – be it in design and the arts or in nautical sport and culinary finesse – all contribute to the visitor’s own time here that becomes their own fine Gustavia moments.