The beaches of St. Barts are white and unspoiled by human feet. Almost as if you have it all to yourself. Of these beaches, Flamands Beach is a sprawling Eden.
With over 17 beaches on the island of St. Barts, it’s no wonder even after visiting 3 times, I haven’t checked them all off my list. Like a shard of a broken sea shell washed up to shore that becomes an inextricable part of the beach, pieces of my heart have been taken and left at some of these unforgettable beaches of St. Barts. The beaches are so incredible, wild, and untainted by humans, it’s hard to want to break away from the one’s you’ve made an instant connection with and go explore new beaches on the island. But, I can make room in my heart for another beach: Flamands Beach.
I had visited Flamands Beach once before, but only on my way to dinner at La Langouste located on Anse de Flamands. I hadn’t actually spent time on the beach itself during the day. My boutique hotel, Villa Marie St. Barth, was located just above Flamands. My balcony had breath-taking expansive views of the beach that had me enraptured by Flamands. The beach called to me in a way unlike any other. A few years prior, I had rented a villa in Anse de Flamands with the same views of Flamands beach. But, the beach hadn’t called to me like it did this time. Maybe it was the perspective? Or the high position of Villa Marie? Either way, I was going to go down and find out why this beach was considered one of the best in St. Barts.
On our first day on St. Barth, following lunch we jumped in our car at Villa Marie St. Barth and took a 5 minute drive down to Flamands. We were familiar with the parking situation from past drives down here for dinner and for hikes to Colombier. A narrow street parallel to the beach has little nooks and crannies for cars to park on the side. We find a spot right next to the beach entrance and head on out towards the water. The sea in front of me changed gradients, going from clear to a deep turquoise color in the distance. It looked impeccable, pristine, and alluring.
The water was so enticing that Patrick couldn’t wait a second longer. He ran in front of me, took his shirt off, and promptly jumped into the clear blue waters. I stood back, marveling at the view and the small crashing waves. It was a calm day for Flamands Beach. Typically, the waves here can become very rough and large, so it isn’t always an ideal spot for swimming.
I dug my toes into the sand. The sand at Flamands Beach is as soft as chiffon. It almost felt like they put the sand through a food grinder or mill to make it as soft as Naples silk. You could roll around in it and not feel a single scratch on your skin. In all honesty, I wouldn’t be surprise if St. Barth had someone going around the beach–grinding the sand making sure it was as fine as physically possible…!
I pulled out our complimentary, vibrant yellow Villa Marie beach towels from our Villa Marie St. Barth burlap beach tote. All guests who stay at Villa Marie are given the jute tote bag and can take it home as a keepsake. Flamands Beach is one of the longest beaches on St. Barth. To the left you have restaurants, local houses, and a few villas facing the long, expansive, and untainted super soft, white sand beach. There’s not a beach lounge chair in sight. You can choose to set your towel down under the shadows of one of the many palm trees or out in the sun closer to the crashing waves.
Pat and I took a stroll down the beach towards La Langouste, one of the go-to places on the island for Caribbean lobster. Eating there is quite an experience. You get to choose your very own live lobster and even take a picture with it before it gets cooked and served to you however you’d like–in a pasta dish, as is, etc. If you’re looking for something a little more low key, you can stop by the famed local bakery La Petite Colombe, located on the top of Anse de Flamands hill. Here you can grab a couple of sandwiches and pastries for the perfect, no frills seaside picnic.
If it’s a challenging hike you’re looking for, then go further. Beyond Flamands Beach begins the hike to the inaccessible beach of Colombier. Only accessible via a 30-45 minutes hike or by boat.
The right hand side of Flamands Beach is very different. Unlike the left hand side, which is empty, the right hand side is a more built up and structured. A small sliver of the beach is taken over by luxurious beach chairs, uniform umbrellas and and décor with a neutral color scheme broken up by a splash of hot pink, outdoor tables that serve fine dining, masseuse chairs, and more. This is Cheval Blanc, one of the most famous and luxurious resorts in all of St. Barth and the only LVMH hotel in the Caribbean. This is probably what Flamands is most known for. The luxurious lunches and dinners beachside at Cheval, accompanied by a nap on one of the many beach lounge chairs by the sea.
Flamands Beach has a lot to offer. High-end restaurants, proximity to affordable to-go food options, impeccable waters, wild, untouched sand to lay your towel down on, adjacent to more structured resorts offering beach lounge chairs, and accessibility to a hike. So, what will your experience at Flamands Beach include?
>> Next: François Plantation Restaurant, St. Barts
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