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Up to $600 in goods may be brought back to the US by every member of your party without paying duty.

Marigot
The best shopping is in the capital city of Marigot. A crafts market near the cruise terminal offers jewelry, T-shirts, souvenir items, carvings and paintings (we were especially taken with the Haitian artwork available here). Marigot also is home to boutiques open 9 am to 12:30 pm and 3 to 7 pm, which offer liqueurs, cognacs, cigars, crystal, china, jewelry and perfumes, many from France.

French St.Martin offers all types of cuisine. Look for over 50 restaurants in Marigot, 20 in Grand Case and others in Cul de Sac, Mont Vernon and Orient Beach. French food reigns, but you'll also find Italian, Swiss and many other cuisines. Reservations usually aren't necessary at lunch, but plan ahead for dinner, especially during busy winter months. Prices for a three-course meal without wine are high, as much as $50 or $60 per person
at top restaurants.

There's no shortage of places to stay on the French side of the island. Luxury resorts are extremely popular, and frequently offer villas, rather than rooms. Refer to price chart on page 15.

Once a sleepy fishing village, todayMarigot is the capital of tourism on the French side. The promenade is lined with expensive duty-free shops, French restaurants, an open-air market and a cruise ship pier. The town is an excellent pedestrian destination and you can walk from end to end, stopping at the bistros and bakeries for a croissant, shopping for French perfumes or just enjoying the West Indian architecture.

Two important projects are under the supervision of the French St. Martin's Commission for Ecotourism, 590-875721. Pointe de Bluff, between Baie Longue and Baie Nettle on the northwest coast, is being preserved. This site is home to David's Hole or, as it's sometimes known, the Devil's Hole, an unusual sea cave. The second project is at Oyster Pond on the east coast where preservation of the green sand beach is underway.