In The Spirit of St. Barths

Saint-Barthélémy is not just an island; it is an icon, synonymous with a chic, unimpeachably cool kind of luxury in the Caribbean.

For years Town & Country editor Pamela Fiori has been a regular visitor for both work and pleasure. In the new book In The Spirit of St. Barths, she chronicles the history of the famed island in photographs and in writing. The book is available from Assouline on March 26th, but we’re previewing it here today. We also spoke with Pamela to get her itinerary for a perfect day on the island — not that any day on St. Barths could be much less than perfect.

This book has been a long time in the making. Fiori’s first trip to the island was more than two decades ago, in 1987. Maya’s had only just opened and P. Diddy’s yacht was still many years away from dropping anchor.

Has St. Barths changed since? Of course. But according to Fiori, “the essence of the island is still the same.” Or as her friend and former colleague Malachy Duffy put it: “Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.”

A perfect day in St. Barths, according to Pamela: “Go for an early morning walk and dip at Saline Beach. Have a quick cappuccino and croissant at Maya’s To Go. Do a little shopping in Gustavia. Meet friends for lunch at the Sand Bar at the Eden Rock Hotel. Go for an afternoon swim at Gouverneur. Take a nap. Go on a sunset sail (cocktails included). Have dinner at Le Sereno. Sweet dreams.”

In The Spirit of St. Barths is available for purchase this spring, and to celebrate the launch of the book, Assouline has an exciting offer for fans of the book.