Today I had a fantastic blast hiking for the first time on the island. We started at 6.00 a.m. from Le Galeon beach, went through Orient Beach, and halfway there we cut through the paved road at Kontiki, crossed the national Road there and started hiking up towards Pic Paradis. We reached there in one hour and half and the view of course was unbelivable. We went down from where the antennas are towards Loterie Farm and we reached there in about 50 minutes. It was fantastic and we were very seldom in the sun has the vegetation was shading us all along. Going down Pic Paradis we also spotted 2 different kind of mushrooms!!! It was my first time and it will not be last. What a different way to live this island.

That was a workout Enzo!! Did you come across any scary creatures (non humans) along the way?

Pauline

Hi Enzo
It's nice to knwo there still are places on this island that are beautiful and natural and untouched

[barcann.livejournal.com]

And around the Island under D water too.

Just Another Ho Hum Day On D Planet

Enzo, did you do this on your own, or with a group? Was it a tour, or you all knew where you were going?

I ask because I know folks who would love to do this, but don't know the areas well enough.

there is a woman from the French side named Gigi who runs a blog named Adventures in Gigi.
She does many hikes on the island. Her latest was in Pointe blanche to the natural pools. Who knew there were natural pools over there?
This is her blog entry on that hike.
[adventuresingigi.blogspot.com]

It seems there are great places to hike and explore on the island that some of us do not know about.

[barcann.livejournal.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/2010 09:35AM by Barbara1.

This is very cool Barbara - thanks!

No i did not do this on my own, and I would strongly suggest to anybody not to do this on your own or without the help of somebody that knows the area where you are going to hike. We were 8 people plus our guide and we were all equipped with kamelbags with at least 1lt. of water. I had 1.5 lt and it all went. some parts of the hike was not so easy and a little bit challenging, and in some area the phone would not work, therefore, please, do not go on your own. As I said we discovered 2-3kinds of mushrooms(fungi), plus at least 2 trees with fruits that I had no previous knowledge of, but no no strange animals.

It was fantastic. I think that next week we might be going hiking crossing the island from the hills ridge starting somewhere on the dutch side and reaching Concordia on the French side not to far away from Grand case, all of that from the top of the hills.
If you want to email me for any questions, please feel free.

I did that hike up to Pic Paradis with my Mom about 18 years ago, and it was fantastic! That was when she decided to find the lost village of Petit Fond (destroyed by a hurricane in the 1920's...) and to put it back on the map (and memories...) of St Martin!

Kind Regards,
Philippe



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Philip, could you please elaborate on where this village was more or less, I cannot find anything that talks about it. Thank you Enzo