SUNSET CAFÉ

Sheltered from the swell, Grand-Case Bay offers an idyllic setting, with its turquoise waters and long, white sandy beach. It's an ideal spot for swimming, lounging or reading, preferably on a deckchair under a parasol. A number of water sports are also available, including paddleboarding, kayaking, wakeboarding and snorkeling near the Creole rock. Situated below and parallel to the boulevard of Grand Case, it boasts many of the island's finest establishments, offering delicious dishes, cocktails and tapas with your feet in the sand. Grand Case is surely the most picturesque village on Saint-Martin, and a gastronomic capital of the Caribbean. Here you'll find most of the best restaurants, as well as the local " lolos", easily identifiable by the smoke from their barbecues, and lively beach bars and restaurants. It's also one of the favorite anchorages for sailors visiting Saint-Martin. Since Irma devastated many of the buildings on the beach, it has virtually disappeared in places. But the resilience of the local people has enabled them to rebuild quickly, even if the scars are still visible. So much so, that today it's hard to imagine the scale of the disaster, given Grande-Case's reputation as a party town. After dark, the lights of the restaurants illuminate the turquoise waters of the lagoon, giving the whole a fairytale air.