The 50 paces of the King - pas du roi - is an old concept of french law which means that the state has possession/control of 50 paces above the high water mark. In France generally, this was codified as 81.5 meters.

As I understand it, based in large part on conversations with Phillipe some years ago who developed some interest in issue - and who actually once had interest in studying to be a lawyer - in Saint Martin pre-1995 there was virtually zero enforcement of the concept and people freely built up to the high water mark or even over it.

Also, the pre-1995 government apparently sold its rights to this space when selling land - or at least signed agreements indicating that the domain land was being sold (such as most well known in Terre Basses and possibly for Club O).

Post 1995 (i.e., post-Luis), the Commune - which later became the Collectivitie, adopted the view that for purposes of Saint Martin, they generally would use 17 meters above high water mark, but many structures of course still were within that space.

The government issued AOTs (granting a concession - like a lease) to businesses to make their building in the area close to (and maybe over) the high water mark "legal." The issuing of AOTs has been "interesting."

What may happen now - as it happened post-Luis - is that the government will try to reestablish governmental control over the domain land - however that will be defined.