Boutique Shopping on St Barts

First stop in Gustavia should definitely be the harbor-side Quai de la Republique, which rivals New York's Madison Avenue or Paris's avenue Montaigne for high-end boutiques including Louis Vuitton, Bulgari, Cartier, Chopard, and Hermes. Another note-worthy address in the charming capital is the Carre d'Or plaza, where you will find a handful of designer jewelers, more clothes boutiques as well as an excellent wine shop to stock up the fridge on your luxury yacht. Other shopping outfits to look out for are La Savane Commercial, which is situated opposite the island's airport, La Villa Creole in St Jean, and Espace Neptune, which is on the road to Lorient. Shopping in St Barts is an art, with many boutiques staying open until the evening to allow customers maximum browsing time. But beware; they usually close from between midday and 3pm, as is common in many French overseas territories. It is also worth noting that like in France, there are officially designated sales seasons twice a year which are generally held in May and mid-October. During this time many items are greatly reduced in price which will come as good news for those of you planning a Leeward Islands yacht charter for this time of year.