Things to see and do Gustavia

Just 5 minutes from the heart of Gustavia, Shell Beach will pleasantly surprise you. There's no white sand here, but thousands of shell fragments - hence the name - that give the beach its pinkish hue. The beach offers a unique panorama of the neighboring islands of Saint-Eustache and Saba. It is well protected from the wind. On site, you can enjoy a drink or a bite to eat. The atmosphere is both chic and relaxed. Children often come here after school for a swim. A beautiful spot for sunsets.

One of the most beautiful anchorages in the Caribbean! Both a marina and a commercial port. Until a few decades ago, Gustavia was just a small village in the middle of nowhere. The island's rapid rise to prominence as a tourist destination in the early 1980s led to the rapid development of its infrastructure. Today, it's a pleasure to stroll along the quays and fantasize about the boats that occupy the harbor during the season. At Christmas time, the quays are transformed into traditional festivities, with the magnificent yachts as a backdrop.

Behind Gustavia's red-and-white lighthouse, built in 1961, stood Fort Gustav. All that remains are a few stones of the enclosure, the cisterns, the powder magazine and the bakery. Several cannons and cannonballs found on the island date from this period. Built by the first settlers, it was used extensively during the Swedish period. It lost its importance when the island was handed back to France in 1878. It's a perfect vantage point from which to enjoy the sunset.

After a few steps, you reach the site of the former fortifications. Unfortunately, nothing remains of this former fort, named "Karl" after Duke Karl, the brother of King Gustaf III. Only a few stones, the remains of a former powder magazine, and some paved areas have survived. According to archaeologists, this was never a site of impressive weaponry... But the view is well worth the detour! A beautiful panorama of Shell Beach and the neighbouring islands (Saba, St. Eustatius, St. Kitts and Nevis) awaits you.

Hélène Bernier is passionate about her work. She loves to convey the beauty of her island, as well as its fragility. A native of the island and current vice-president of the COM, she knows all the facets of Saint-Barth better than anyone. She preserves nature, protects culture and shares her knowledge with us during her guided tours and hikes. The tour + meal packages are ideal and can be adapted to suit your needs. For a bit of exercise, opt for guided hikes to Colombier, or to the natural pools.

Located on the first floor of the Wall House next to the Hôtel de la Collectivité, the museum is dedicated to the island's historic heritage. The building, which dates back to the ^18th century, was entirely restored by Compagnons in 1995. The ruins of a bread oven can be seen outside the building. The museum brings to life the great hours that presided over the island's development, through documents and photographs, and an exhibition of period objects and costumes. Temporary exhibitions are held on a regular basis.

Inaugurated in 2002, it was formerly the town hall and changed its status when the island became an overseas collectivity under Article 74 of the French Constitution on July 15, 2007. Saint-Barth was then a commune and an arrondissement, dependent on the overseas department of Guadeloupe. The territorial council meets in this building. It has been represented in the Senate by a senator, Micheline Jacques, since 2020. The territorial council is made up of 19 members, with a 7-member executive council and a president (Xavier Lédée).

The Major's House was intended for the head of the garrison and the police in the 1780s. This building was successively court, school and then fire station. The deed of retrocession of the island to France was signed within these walls on March 16, 1878. After an identical renovation in 2006 intended to restore its original character, its walls were covered with wainscoting and its roof with essences. It now houses administrative services.

This former private home, built between 1796 and 1799, was bought by the Swedish crown in 1816, which officially made it its Customs Office. Damaged in the cyclone of 1837, it was restored before becoming, from 1861, the Maison des Gouverneurs, and then, after its return to France, the Saint-Barthélemy Town Hall. It was abandoned in 2001. All that remains today is the volcanic stone base, the kitchen and the cistern.

The building dates back to the Swedish era (early ^19th century) and, after being converted for various uses (even as a prison!), became the headquarters of the sub-prefecture in 1963. In 1995, it was severely damaged by one of the terrible cyclones (Luis) that marked the island's past. It was rebuilt immediately afterwards. Its architecture is typical, with a stone base and staircase. The four-sided tin roof is reminiscent of Creole-style houses. You'll probably spot a French flag flying permanently.

Construction of this church dates back to the Swedish period between 1784 and 1878. Anglican Father Rock, en route to Antigua and Anguilla, helped the small Anglican community organize a service. It was built of local stone between 1853 and 1855. It was devastated by Hurricane Luis in 1995 and restored thanks to the generosity and voluntary work of local residents. Numerous concerts, including those of the Saint-Barth choir, are held in the church.

Formerly called "Place du Bicentenaire". It evokes the return of the island to France after ninety-three years of Swedish possession. The anchor, weighing 10 tons, placed on the base, was found by chance by a tugboat, in 1981. The inscription "Liverpool... Wood... London" can be read on it. The story goes that it came from a ship that sailed in the Caribbean from 1700 to 1825, armed with about sixty cannons. The crew would have cut the anchor and its chain in the bottom of the port of Gustavia to allow to drift...

Below the Swedish bell tower, this church has the particularity of being raised in order to be protected from a tidal wave. Made of volcanic stones from Saint Kitts and Saint Eustatius, it is nevertheless robust. The building dates from the beginning of the 19th century and its main façade is of Hispanic influence. The particularity of this church is that its bell tower is separated from the building. It would have been built in the 1880's during the installation of the abbot Prual.

Close to the sub-prefecture, the stone and green lazured wood bell tower reminds us of the pointed roofs of Scandinavian churches. It is one of the few buildings to have survived the centuries almost without damage. In 1799, as part of the redevelopment of the city, which saw its streets paved, the Swedish Crown offered Carénage, which is now called Gustavia, a bell tower specially prepared in Stockholm. The installed bell was named Sofia Magdalena (a nod to the Swedish Queen Mary Magdalene of Denmark). It was cast in Stockholm and transported to the port of Saint-Barthélemy. The sound of the bell warned of deaths on the island, and sounded the curfew set by the Scandinavians in the morning at 6am and in the evening at 8pm. If you think that in the 1800's there were hardly 6,000 souls on the island, you can better understand the role that this bell tower must have played in the daily life of its inhabitants. The church that was adjacent to the bell tower disappeared in the 19th century. The sound of the bell no longer rings in the town since the town hall replaced it with a clock in the 1930s. On August^1, 1995, the bell tower was registered as a historical monument. The bell tower had been placed higher than the church so that the sound would carry farther and to prevent it from falling on the houses in case of cyclone. In 2017, once again the power of the winds damaged the roof of the bell tower. The devastating Hurricane Irma did not spare it but everything is back in place.

The Tourist Board's mission is to promote the island and organize events. The small office in Gustavia is packed with information, including brochures on the island's history, practical information on restaurants, hotels, activities... The website also enables you to organize your stay in Saint-Barth, with contacts and all the island's tourist, natural and economic attractions. Perfect for preparing your trip!