Baie de Saint-Jean Beach Panorama

The Bay Below

Looking down from the surrounding heights, this camera captures the full curve of Baie de Saint-Jean, where a shallow reef-protected lagoon shades from pale aquamarine to deep blue. The crescent of white sand is divided by the small rocky headland of Eden Rock, an island landmark that anchors the bay's two beaches.

A French Caribbean Village

Behind the shore, the terraced hillside of Saint-Jean climbs in tiers of white-walled, red-roofed villas, boutiques and beach restaurants. As the second-largest settlement on the island, it is the lively heart of Saint Barthélemy's tourism.

Boats and the Open Sea

Yachts, catamarans and dinghies dot the protected anchorage, a favourite stop on the Lesser Antilles sailing circuit. Beyond the reef, swells from the open Atlantic roll toward the entrance of the bay, marking the boundary of the calm inner waters.

An Island of Volcanic Hills

The verdant ridgelines that frame the view are the eroded remnants of an ancient volcanic upthrust. Their slopes of scrub and tropical greenery shelter the bay and give Saint-Jean its dramatic amphitheatre setting above the Caribbean Sea.