There is a project underway to give a specific street address to every home in Gustavia. The municipal council voted in May 2007 to rename some of the city streets as well, and this has been done. The Collectivity’s cultural affairs commission decided to complete the renaming of the streets in time to publish a new, more precise map of Gustavia in March 2009.
It is necessary to take a brief look at the history of the island, which was a French colony as early as 1659, in order to understand the original street names in Gustavia. After France traded the island to Sweden in 1784, the Swedes made various improvements to the area around the port, which at the time was called “Le Carénage.” The Swedes baptized the burgeoning little town as Gustavia, giving each street a Swedish name. The streets were renamed in French after the island was returned to France in 1878. In the mid-20th-century, certain streets had been given the names of French public figures that had no particular relationship to the history of St Barth. The island’s cultural affairs commission decided to replace these names, which had no local interest, with names that were noted locally. Thus, Rue Gambetta became Rue Adrien Questel, after a botanist known for his research and his books, and Rue Courbet is now called Rue des Dinzey, giving it the name of an influential Gustavia family dating from the 19th century. Rue du Centenaire became Rue Samuel Fahlberg, after the Swedish land surveyor and cartographer who drew the earliest maps of Gustavia. Catholic priests Irénée de Bruyn and Robert Dugon now each have a street named after them as well, along with Lubin Brin, a postman and veteran of foreign wars, and Augustin Cagan, a former deputy mayor. The commission did not forget the Swedish era, and named certain streets Rue de la Swède (Street of Sweden), Rue August Nyman, and Rue de Pitea, after Gustavia’s twin city in Sweden.
On the back of the new, free map of Gustavia, which is distributed at the Territorial Tourism Committee office in St Barth, as well as other public places, there is a list of the old street names, as well as information about the people whose names were selected for the new ones.
After this first phase of re-naming the streets and putting up new street signs, the Collectivity’s technical services department will put a visible number on each house. This numbering process will begin at the entry to Gustavia along the waterfront and continue around to the Hôtel de la Collectivité (town hall) on all the streets that run parallel to the harbor. For the streets that run perpendicular, the numbers will begin at the harbor and increase as the streets lead away from the water.
This individual numbering process in Gustavia is the beginning of a vast project to draw official boundaries for each village on the island, and divide each neighborhood into small zones, as they are known locally, with each area serving as the name of the streets so that once again each house can have its specific number (i.e. if a zone is called The Point, the houses will be No 1, The Point, etc).
Public meetings have been held since early June to decide on the neighborhood names for Corossol, Flamands, Merlette, and Terre Neuve. Yves Gréaux, first vice-president of the Collectivity, put announcements in the local press asking residents to come to the meetings and share their knowledge of the traditional names the old-times used for each area, before these names are made official. Samples of suggested maps for each neighborhood are currently on display in the entry hall at the Hôtel de la Collectivité.
Beyonce and Jay-Z have taken their daughter on her first vacation. The couple, who celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary last week, have been enjoying the sunshine on the Caribbean island of St. Barts with three-month-old Blue Ivy over the weekend, and took the tot for a day trip on a yacht.
...
Kick-off Les Voiles de Saint Barth 2012 Caribbean regatta in the magical French West Indies sailing paradise!
Today the prestigious and top-class Caribbean sailing regatta Les Voiles de St. Barth 2012 with Gaastra Sportswear as the official partner starts: At the third edition run...
Inside the Bucket.
This video features the 2012 St Barths Bucket Regatta and music by the Evan Goodrow Band. Special thanks to the entire crew of the Rebecca, Baz Bar, St Barths Online and the guys from the Evan Goodrow Band for putting on a fantastic show. The song from the Evan Goodrow Band is c...
On board with Rebecca.
The best event in St Barths took place on March 24 - 27, 2012. This video features the beautiful 141 ft sailing yacht, The Rebecca.
produced by Real Media Travel for St. Barths Online and Baz Bar St Barth.
The age old saying of "I need a holiday to get over my holiday" actually seems applicable if you happen to be Paul McCartney.
The Beatle took wife Nancy Shevell on a romantic break to the Caribbean island of St Barts, just days after the pair visited Paris.
Last week, the lovebirds showed support ...
On the day their pregnancy news was announced, Thor star Chris Hemsworth, 28, and Elsa Pataky, 35, were seen in sunny St. Barts, France on Wednesday (January 18). The Fast Five actress looked lovely in blue, sporting her beautiful baby bump.
Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky
Chris and Elsa - w...
She might be 44, but Tamara Mellon still boasts a figure that women half her age would be proud of.
The Jimmy Choo co-founder showed off her toned figure in a sexy animal-print bikini as she hit the beach with her daughter in St Barts yesterday.
The skimpy string two-piece highlighted Tamara's env...
With almost every other celebrity couple enjoying the New Year in exotic locations, Gary and Danielle Lineker weren't going to be any different.
The married couple were spotted enjoying a romantic walk along a beach in St Barts today - and looked very much in love.
Gary, 51 and his wife, 32, had o...
Which beaches to choose?
The glamorous island of St Barts is one of the Caribbean's top beach destinations. Ringing the island are immaculate strips of sand and ethereal turquoise waters. The shallow reefs that encircle the island help to protect these renowned beaches, and they also provide excell...
St. Barts, Why Not?
Since the wealthy and celebrated frequently visit St. Barts for a tropical vacation, you will find that many plush St. Barts Resorts can be found on this stunning island. For those taking St. Barts holidays, it is simple to find hotels with each luxury available. Frequently thes...
Vacation With the Rich and Famous at St. Barts.
Want to bump into celebrities and be seen hanging out where the rich and famous play? Then the Caribbean island of St. Barts is the place to be.
While warm sand and blue waters do make an ideal vacation location, this destination has that and a whol...
Where to go for one day in Caribbean?
St. Maarten / St. Martin
The half-Dutch, half-French island of St. Maarten/St. Martin, with its many restaurants and hotels, makes a great base for an island-hopping adventure. Graced by the nickname Unspoiled Queen, tiny little Saba is not the kind of Caribbe...
Villa La Plage in St Barts.
The posh French resort isle of St. Barth's was already a prize destination when Roman Abramovich purchased an estate there for $89 million in 2009; since the oligarch arrived it has become even more so.
Now Christie's International Real Estate has listed another impres...
Baywatch in St Barts.
Making it official after five years of engagement, Brooke Burke and beau David Charvet have reportedly tied the knot while yachting in St. Barts.
According to Life & Style, the "Dancing with the Stars" host and the former "Baywatch" hunk, who have been vacationing in the...
St. Barth Summer Sessions Aug. 5-15, 2011
St Barth Summer Sessions 2011 this year will have a focus on artists from Brazil. The festival will take place at a variety of different venues all over the island, and in the end of the festival there will be a big common concert in the Harbor of Gustavia ...
The Eclipse, no ordinary yacht.
It probably hasn't escaped your attention that, with modern methods of transport, measuring and telecommunication, no "terra incognita" is safe from the crazed enthusiasm of certain explorers of scientists. Everything has already been discovered and minutely placed o...
Ashley Rodriguez Trio
Ashley Rodriguez, one of the famous finalist from the American Idol 2010 is back in St Barth between May 5-15. Ashley was participating last summer for the St Barth Summer Session in august 2010 at La Plage and she will now come with her 'All Girls Band', Liz on the guitar ...
The La Plage restaurant introduce :
ST BARTH SUMMER SESSIONS
« 5 to 15 august 2010, 10 days of crazy music ! »
Festival program
La Plage St Jean Tel: 0590 52 81 33 Email: tombeach@wanadoo.fr Site: www.stbarthsummersessions.com
THE GREAT FISH DEBATE There seems to be a bone of contention among a few of my friends. Fine folks who love some of the finer things in life, such as Dover Sole That flat fish floating in butter and capers. Known in French as Sole Meunière, it is made from what is called in European fisherman ver...
