Two-headed island, identical morphology
The island's volcanic origin has made it a mountainous region, with slopes that are often steep and inaccessible, making them ideal for human settlement and crop development. The group of mornes (hills) is grouped around a central ridge with its highest point, Pic Paradis (424 m). As you travel along the island's roads, you'll find yourself climbing and descending along this jagged relief. This makes for a host of vantage points. Loterie Farm, in the French part of the island, and Forest Adventures St Maarten- Rockland Estate have made the most of this environment to offer sensational activities such as zip-lining. Only the western part of Terres Basses remains an exception, with a flatter landscape. Accessibility and environmental problems are therefore the same on both sides of the border.
Geology
Saint-Martin is home to three geological series.
An ancient sedimentary volcanic series known as the Pointe Blanche formation, of Eocene age, consisting of alternating more or less siliceous limestone beds, radiolarites and volcanic ash tuffs.
An Oligocene-age volcanic series comprising eruptive rocks ranging from basalts to andesites, and plutonic rocks ranging from quartz diorites to gabbros.
A recent sedimentary series dating from the Miocene, consisting of banks of limestone, marl and carbonate sandstone.
The two oldest formations are found in the eastern part of the island and form the highest reliefs, while the most recent formation forms the plateaus of the Terres-Basses peninsula, the Cayes-Vertes islets, Tintamarre and the island of Anguilla. Finally, there are the Quaternary formations of indurated carbonate sands known as beach sandstones or Beach Rock.
The beaches
The coastline is a succession of beaches, coastal lagoons, rocky areas and mangroves. Divided between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, the island has two faces. The western part, called "leeward", is home to beautiful, calm white sandy beaches. On the other side, the eastern part, known as "windward", offers good spots for surfers. The uninhabited islets of Tintamarre and Pinel lie to the east. The interior is hilly, with some flat areas.
Saint-Martin boasts no fewer than thirty-six beaches: on the Caribbean side, for example, you'll find the white sands of Baie longue, Baie rouge and Happy bay, while on the Atlantic coast, waves attract surfers, notably at Galion.
