St. Martin - Getting the feel of France

**jeb2006** · 06-29-2011, 08:29 AM

My wife and I are cruising on RCL Oasis of the Seas in Feb. 2012.
One of the ports is St. Maartin from 8am to 5pm.
We want to go to the French side of the island (St. Martin) to get some French culture.
My wife's "dream" is to tour France, but at this time we are unable to afford such a trip.
So, my question is what is the best way to get into the French culture with the time we have in port (8am to 5pm)?
Both lunch and touring.
Thank you for responding.
Jim

**jackiel_3290** · 07-14-2011, 08:31 PM

We did a shore excursion that took us to the butterfly farm and over to the French side for shopping and such. I think we just ate at an outdoor cafe. The 2 sides of the island are definitely different. The Dutch side is very touristy and like any other Caribbean port. The French side is very like a French beach community. The architecture is French, the food is French (we had bagettes from a street vendor) and there is a nice small museum. After spending a week at Guadeloupe, it is very similar. I am not sure how you should get there if you don't do a shore excursion. It is a bit of a drive. Perhaps there are cabs you can hire. It is definitely worth the trip. Jackie