Marigot

As the capitol of French St. Martin, Marigot offers a beautiful fusion of French and West Indian foods and culture, with a profusion of cafés, bakeries and wine shops. Take a stroll through the town streets to shop local boutiques nestled among the Creole houses. Rue de la République is one of the main streets where you can check out the finely detailed facades boasting the ornate decorations called gingerbreads. The town also features a handful of colonial-era attractions, including the old prison and Fort Louis, which was built in 1789 and overlooks Marigot Bay. At the museum Sur la Trace des Arawaks, you can learn about St. Martin’s pre-colonial people and the European settlement. And no trip to the city would be complete without a visit, ideally in early morning, to the Marigot Market, where you can find local vendors selling fruits, spices and crafts.

Practical Info

Marigot sits on the west coast of St. Martin, just north of Simpson Bay Lagoon, about 20 minutes’ drive from Philipsburg and 7 minutes from Grand Case. Because this part of the island is French, you’ll find that locals primarily speak French, and the Euro is the official currency, though dollars are also widely accepted.