St Barthélemy, St Barth or St Barts, overseas collectivity of France, is really unique because it is a perfect combination of sweet life, luxury and authenticity ... It’s a real haven of peace where you will find exceptional villas and hotels, luxury shops and gourmet restaurants, alongside white sand beaches and lush vegetation. 
St Barth, nestled in the heart of the French west indies (Leeward islands), stands out as the ideal destination for a holiday dedicated to excellence, hedonism, sophistication and serenity.
The island was named by Christopher Columbus after his brother Bartholomeo.

In the 10th century, the Carib indians who invaded the island called the rocky island « Ouanalao ». They didn’t live there for a long time due to the inhospitable landscape and lack of freshwater.
In 1493, Saint Barthelemy was discovered by Christopher Columbus, who gave him the name of his brother « Bartholomew » in 1496.
In 1648 , the first Europeans who attempted to settle the island were french colonists from the nearby island of St Kitts but they were killed soon by Caribs.
It’s only 25 years later, in 1674, when St Barthelemy was bought by France that the island prospered by setting up a way station for French pirates plundering Spanish galleons.
French mariners from Normandy and Brittany found the place hospitable, and brightened the economy with vast quantities of plunder taken from Spanish galleons. 
Gradually the buccaneers became tradesmen, shopkeepers, fishermen, and small farmers. 
By the treaty of June 1, 1784 Louis XVI exchanged Saint Barthelemy with the king of Sweden Gustaf III against free port rights for the French ships to the port and storage of Gothenburg in Sweden.
This change of control saw progress and prosperity as the Swedes declared Gustavia a free port, convenient for trading by the Europeans for goods, including contraband material. The Swedish changed the names of the port town from Carenage to Gustavia in recognition of their king. 
A century later, by a treaty dated 10 August 1877, Sweden sold Saint Barthelemy back to France after declining trade, disease, devastating hurricanes and fires affected the island. Then it was administered as part of Guadeloupe. Saint Barthelemy’s status of free port remained and was approved by the people of St. Barthelemy consulted by referendum.
At the end of the 1950’s, an american millionaire David Rockefeller is the first to be mesmerized by this brilliant spec of an island in the French Antilles. He bought a property in St Barth and bring with him the jet setters of his era.
The notoriety of the island quickly grew and Saint Barthelemy become an upscale tourist destination.
Since 15 July 2007, Saint-Barthélemy was allowed to secede from Guadeloupe and became an overseas collectivity (COM) of France which meant that the island gained a municipal council rather than having a single islandwide mayor.
A governing territorial council was elected for its administration, which has provided the island with a certain degree of autonomy. The Hotel de Ville, which was the town hall, is now the Hotel de la Collectivité. A senator represents the island in Paris. St. Barts has retained its free port status. As a result of its changed status, Saint Barthélemy left the European Union on January, 1st 2012.
St Barth has enjoyed exceptionnal prosperity over the past few years and become today a unique destination for vacation where serenity and a protected environment shape a discreet and fashionable “art de vivre”.