Saint Barthélemy — books & literature

The story of Saint Barthélemy

Saint Barthélemy is a tiny volcanic island in the northeast Caribbean, likely visited but not permanently settled by Taíno and Arawak peoples, who knew it as Ouanalao, since it lacked reliable fresh water. Christopher Columbus sighted and named it in 1493 in honour of his brother Bartholomew. French colonists, mostly from Normandy and Brittany, settled the island from 1648, and for about fourteen years in the mid-1600s it was held by the Knights of Malta. In 1784, King Louis XVI ceded the island to Sweden in exchange for trading rights in Gothenburg, making it the only Caribbean island ever to be a Swedish colony. The Swedes renamed the harbour town Gustavia after King Gustav III and made it a bustling tax-free port. Sweden sold the island back to France in 1878 after a local referendum. It remained a quiet backwater, part of Guadeloupe, until aviator Rémy de Haenen landed the first plane there in 1946 and later built the Eden Rock hotel, opening the island to tourism and, eventually, to the international jet set. In 2007, Saint Barthélemy split from Guadeloupe to become its own French overseas collectivity, a status it still holds today as one of the Caribbean's most exclusive destinations.

Timeline — key moments

1. 1493

   Christopher Columbus sights and names the island after his brother, Bartholomew.

2. 1648

   French settlers, mainly from Normandy and Brittany, colonise the island.

3. circa 1651-1665

   The Knights of Malta (Order of Saint John) hold the island for about fourteen years.

4. 1784

   Louis XVI cedes Saint Barthélemy to Sweden in exchange for trading rights in Gothenburg.

5. 1785

   Swedish governor Salomon von Rajalin establishes Gustavia as a free port.

6. 1878

   Sweden sells the island back to France after a local referendum (16 March).

7. 1946

   Rémy de Haenen lands the first airplane on the island, opening it to the outside world.

8. 1950

   De Haenen opens the Eden Rock hotel, launching the island as a tourist destination.

9. 2007

   Saint Barthélemy separates from Guadeloupe to become its own French overseas collectivity.

Top 10 things to know about Saint Barthélemy

1. Saint Barthélemy is the only Caribbean island that was ever a Swedish colony (1784-1878).
2. The capital, Gustavia, is named after Sweden's King Gustav III.
3. Christopher Columbus named the island in 1493 after his brother, Bartholomew.
4. It became its own French overseas collectivity in 2007, separating from Guadeloupe.
5. The euro is the currency and French is the official language.
6. The population is small, around 10,700 people, on an island of about 25 square kilometres.
7. It is one of the most exclusive tourist destinations in the Caribbean, long favoured by celebrities.
8. Saint-Barthélemy French patois, spoken by a small community, is considered one of the oldest French dialects still spoken in the West Indies.
9. The island's small airport is famous among aviation enthusiasts for its short runway and steep approach.
10. Before European contact, the island had no permanent population because of its lack of fresh water.

Famous people from Saint Barthélemy

Say it in Saint Barthélemy's language

Did you know?

• ★Saint Barthélemy is the only island in the Caribbean that was ever a Swedish colony.
• ★Its small airport is known for one of the shortest and most dramatic runway approaches in commercial aviation.
• ★A local patois spoken by a few hundred residents is regarded as one of the oldest surviving French dialects in the West Indies.

Saint Barthélemy culture

• Carnival brings colourful parades, costumes, and Creole rhythms to the island each year.
• Cuisine blends French technique with Caribbean and Creole flavours , dishes like chicken colombo, cod fritters, and stuffed crab are local favourites.
• Older women in some communities still wear a traditional starched white bonnet called a kichnotte.
• Craft traditions such as weaving and wicker basket making carry Amerindian and African influences.

Why read Saint Barthélemy's books

Saint Barthélemy has no large publishing tradition of its own, but its striking history , Swedish colony, French free port, celebrity hideaway , has drawn outside writers to tell its story. Its books shelf reflects that outsider's-eye view of a very small, very storied island.