If you really want to stay on the French side and/or visit the French side, my personal suggestion is to stay somewhere in Orient Village. OV seemed to have been relatively untouched by the riots. WITHIN the Village, there are plenty of places to eat there in the Village. With the new Super U in Hope Estate, as well as the other grocery selections in the area, it is really a great place to stay. As far as rebuilding, Orient Village is WAY head and shoulders above Grand Case or Oyster Pond, both of which still have a lot of visible damage.