Tourist ministers discuss "isolated" events on French side

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I'm sure the description of the events as "isolated" came from the French tourist minister. And I guess "all is well", until next time.

The unrest on the French side happens far to often and will probably crop up again.

Yes, since Irma, it has been way too often. For me, it makes the idea of staying on the French side unpalatable.

We realize we will not change anyone’s mind but still feel some people may have a different opinion. We stayed in Simpson Bay at the Horny Toad for 8 years. We loved everything about the Toad. One vacation we had to change our times & were unable to accommodate us at the Toad for our last 3 days. On recommendation of friends, we moved to Les Balcons. We are not night people. We don’t do casinos, we don’t do bar hopping, we are just homebodies that LOVE SXM beaches. When we were in Simpson Bay, we spent lots of time in traffic traveling to Happy Bay & Orient daily. When we moved to Oyster Pond area, we cut our time in the car from an hour plus to 15 minutes. From that time-on, we never went back to Simpson Bay. We were caught in Orleans before Irma & spent 4 hours in our car waiting for the road to open. The French side residents kept apologizing for us being caught in their fight. This vacation as we went through Orleans the first day of the demonstrations, we saw no older folks, only young men with a different attitude. We spent a couple of days enjoying Les Balcons & then we’re able to get past the roadblocks on the weekend. On Monday& Tuesday, we spent a total of 7 & 1/2 hours in the car going around the island. So are we moving to the Dutch side? No. That7&1/2 hous, we normally spent in the car in 5 days going back & forth from Simpson Bay. So our feeling is to each his own! We love the French side for its quiet, laid back vibe. We love the Dutch side for all the people we love that live there. It is all preference! French are protesting to try to keep their land…..who can argue with that?

I'm with you island time.

Last week we just waited it out, and went to Orient and Grand Case when the main way was open. No biggie.

We are going to do the same as you, and add days to our trip that will be reserved to solely stay in Orient Village.

Cheers!

Leona--At this point, the only way I would stay on the French side would be somewhere in Orient Village. There have just been TOO many disruptions. I do not consider it to be 'restful' to sit and home and worry before our trip, whether there will be another round of disruptions while I am there. One could spend your entire trip within Orient Village, if necessary. But then there is the issue of whether we won't be able to get back to the airport to go home, etc.. .

Oh yes, it would definitely be in the Village!

I dunno...after what our country went through last year, and the chance that things happen in DC at any moment...I suppose I have a different view of these things. lol

AND, I'd have my butt on a boat or a jet-ski to get to the airport. Or friends who know the backroads to lead me out. When there's a will, there's a way.

I obsess over too many things regarding vacation already, to have to worry about taking a boat to the airport..

I decided years ago to always say on the Dutch side. We used to extend our stay on the front or back end in the Orient area but with the recent and past issues I would not consider that anymore. I have no problem with driving to Happy/Orient/Friar's Bay and they are my beaches of choice. But....for comfort....if there is another blockage issue the worst thing for me staying at SBR would be eliminating those trips...sucks, but no worries about getting pulled aside by "protesters" or worse

I love the French side but I cannot rely on booking in advance and just assuming everything will be fine....

And we love it too. We own a condo at Les Balcons. We made the mistake of going to Ginger in Simpson Bay for sushi. Took use a hour and a half to return to Les Balcons after picking up our sushi.

We were on the island the last three week through the latest round of protests. Yes, we stay on the French side and would not even entertain staying on the Dutch side. I avoid the Dutch side at all costs - tell my wife that going over there sets me back on the relaxation factor. Now, having said all of that, the recent protests were not a problem for us at all, we traveled back and forth between Orient and Marigot all the time. For what it's worth, the Gerdarmes kept the route through Marigot to the Dutch side open the whole time. It was the main road through Sandy Ground and d'Orleans that were blocked. We saw them try to block the backroads through Orleans to Oyster and even try to setup a roadblock on the hill above Orient, but the the Gerndarmes were not having that - watched them tear those down about as fast as they put them up. The day before St Martin Day, they came through and cleare it all out, and that was it - over. Now, I do feel bad for those that rely on tourists - especially from the ships, because they got hurt in all of this. We have a friend who owns one of the large restaraunts on Orient, and she told us that she had been slow. ...but all said and done it is the French side that draws us to the island.

So, in other words, the only roads that were blocked were because the gendarmes ALLOWED them to be blocked? I don't know whether that makes me feel better or worse..

..and that is different from the unrest 'allowed' in this country how???

We do not discuss US politics here.

Believe me, the gendarmes do what they are told to do, they don't make decisions. In France, protests come with some protections.

Elaine - that was sorta my point above. Every country/municipality has it's own rules for protests. Carol it was not political it was a comparaitve statement as to what is allowed in those municipalities. We have the right to protest, just as the French do. It was clear in watching it unfold two weeks ago where those bounds were, and to Elaine's point when the Gerdarmes were allowed to get involved. When they did it was quick and decisive. I may not agree with everything they were asking for, but I try to remember that I am a visitor in their country.

"French are protesting to try to keep their land…..who can argue with that?"

I have no problem with a peaceful, legal protest. I don't consider blocking roads, burning things and demanding payments peaceful or legal.

Nor do I, CaribLee, here, there or anywhere - she says, feeling a little like Dr. Seuss - but it seems we may be in the minority here.

pat--No, I think most people here agree with CaribLee. Nothing about what these folks were doing, holding up people for money, burning stuff, etc, was peaceful. Demanding money to pass on the roads is extortion.

So, is the main road through Sandy Ground open or not? We are staying in Parc Orientale for 10 days in January, and would like to drive to Jordan Village to meet friends for dinner, without having to drive around the island.
PnP, I agree with you for the most part. We've been going to the island since '85 (our honeymoon) and have come to love the French side - the beaches, the food, the people we've met and the European ambiance. Having said that, we met a couple and spent a week at their small guesthouse in Dutch Cul-de-Sac in July and loved it. However, most days we still drove to Orient (usually through French Quarter).
We still intend to go in January - it will be kind of celebrating 2 things (my wife's retirement and our downsizing and relocating) - but will have to think long & hard about future visits, unless things change.

All roads are open now. By January??

A lot can change between now and then.

And as we've found out a lot can change between arrival and departure. But warm weather in the middle of January (we've never gone then) will make us ready to depart the NE.

Biturbo, I would just drive to the causeway and around to Jordan Village. Not THAT far out of the way.

Yes, Sandy Ground is open. There's still a burned-out car at the end of the bridge as of yesterday, but it's easy enough to drive around it.

Hoping to get back to SXM next March. We will stay in Orient Village, if possible.

Unfortunately just canceled my Jan trip. Too many covid obstacles and don’t like the roadblocks. Hopefully, next year

Sorry to hear that. As of now, there are actually less Covid obstacles than there have been for a long time, but everyone has to do what they think best.

Here right now, everything is perfect. Easy to get here, no problems if you prepare and have a tiny bit of patience.

Taken 5 minutes ago from the deck.

Very nice and no cruiseship obliterating the view of Saba. 😊😊