One beach, one day, in Saint Bart's

The recent history of St. Barts, the chic bohemian island in the Caribbean, begins here, northwest of the island. In 1957, David Rockefeller built his residence on the tip of Grand Colombier. In the bill of sale, there was one condition: no road must serve these 27 hectares (67 acres), which have become a private natural marine reserve. You can reach its beautiful beach by boat or through two paths. When snorkeling, you can see turtles frolicking in the sea grass bed.

A Virgin on a rock, a few multicolored huts with cracked shingles: at Corossol, Saint-Barthélemy’s past is still tangible. About 15 Norman and Breton families settled here in the 18th century, and have made their mark. Connoisseurs paddle between the dories, colorful fishing boats. After this effort, they share accra and rum from the Régal restaurant with passing travelers.

Seen from the top of Morne Rouge, at an altitude of 161 meters (528 feet), both bays of Saline melt into the sea. Lava edges separate Grande Saline from its little sister, which is narrower but just as wild and blonde. They are reachedable by a path in which cars get stuck in the sand. The parking lot is located near old salt marshes that, at dawn and at dusk, transform into a checkerboard of glittering mirrors.

A five-minute walk from Gustavia, Shell Beach did not exist before the embankment of the small capital of the island. This is why its sand, mixed with shell debris, is so special. The brave divers jump from the natural diving platforms off the cliff. Tennis champion Yannick Noah was behind its restaurant, now a Hellenic-themed place, Shellona. There you can wait for the sunset, sitting in a deckchair—while nibbling Greek olives, of course.

The drive down to Gouverneur is very beautiful: little by little, a golden crown emerges from the coconut trees. A dune covered with bindweed isolates it from the lush terraced property of Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. Lift your knees high to get out of the sand, where the treasure of French pirate Daniel Monbars may be buried. In the 17th century, he attacked Spanish ships to avenge the Indian people and black slaves.

In Saint Jean, there is always something to see. It’s impossible to get bored for a second on this bay, which has shops, a stadium and even an airport. All day long, we see small planes and private jets taking off from the runway of La Tourmente. The central rock bears the Eden Rock Hotel, a mushroom dotted with red and white shingles. You can spend the day in its famous beach club, at Nikki Beach or just on the sand. The first image that vacationers flying into the island will also be the one they will take home with them, a blissful smile of sand stretching out below them.