In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Saint-Martin
Marigot
Marigot is a compact market town: do the fort and the waterfront in the morning, the market on Wednesday or Saturday, lunch at the marina, and take the ferry to Anguilla if the sea is calm.
Marigot is the French-side capital, small enough to walk in an hour and quiet on Sunday afternoons. What goes wrong is the arrival: most flights land on the Dutch side and the road to Marigot passes bridges that open for boats. Four small areas cover the town; beaches, Grand Case and the Dutch side are short rides from one kept bed.
- Country
- Saint-Martin
- Best months
- Jan · Feb · Mar · Apr · Dec
- Time zone
- America/Marigot
- Stay
- 1 days: Waterfront and market, Fort Louis, lunch at the marina
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Cards work almost everywhere; carry some euros for the market, buses and small stalls. US dollars are widely taken but at a poor rate.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–100 excl. bed · Mid €100–200 excl. bed · High €200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Install an eSIM before you fly; French-side SIMs work with roaming rules that differ from mainland France, so check your plan.
- Emergency
- European emergency (French side) 112 · Emergency (Dutch side) 911
- Plugs
- 230 V, 60 Hz on the French side; European sockets (types C and E); bring an adapter for US devices.
- Tipping
- A service charge is usually included on the French side; leave a small extra amount for good service. Round up for drivers.
- Water
- Tap water is treated; many visitors drink bottled water.
- Toilets
- Cafés, the marina, shopping centres and hotels.
Get in
By air
- Princess Juliana International Airport (SXM)
- SXM to Marigot: one taxi at a set fare, about 25–50 minutes — the risk is a bridge opening or a late flight with no ride arranged, not the distance.
Get around
Walk inside the town; taxi or hire car between Marigot, Grand Case and the Dutch side.
- Passes
- No pass. Taxi fares are set by zone and quoted in US dollars or euros: ask before you get in.
- Late at night
- Buses run on a few routes and stop in the early evening: book a taxi back.
See and do
01Fort Louis
The 18th-century hill fort above Marigot, with views of the bay and Anguilla: 45 minutes, in the morning or late afternoon.
02Marigot waterfront market
Spices, fruit, crafts and souvenirs on the waterfront: go early on a Wednesday or Saturday, 45 minutes, and carry small euro notes.
03Marina Port La Royale
The marina with terraces and boutiques: 30 minutes and a lunch stop, with more shade than the waterfront.
04Boulevard de France waterfront
The seafront promenade with cafés and a view of the bay: a 20-minute walk, best in the morning or at sunset.
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Anguilla | Ferry from Marigot about 20–25 min | Full day |
| Grand Case | Taxi or car about 15 min | Half day or evening |
| Philipsburg (Dutch side) | Taxi or car about 25–40 min | Half day |
| Orient Bay | Taxi or car about 20–25 min | Half day |
Eat
- Marina terrace cafés
- Terrace cafés around the marina for a French-style lunch: easy after the market, with shade and sea air.
- Market snack stalls
- Snacks, fruit and grilled food from the waterfront stalls: cheap and quick on market days.
Sleep
- Grand Case (beach and restaurant street)
- Beach and dinner first: a small beach town about 6 km north of Marigot; you need a taxi for the market and the ferry, so pick it for the sea and the food.
- Marigot centre (marina and waterfront)
- First-timers: the market, the fort, the marina and the ferry are a short walk away, but pick a hotel with a 24-hour desk and a car-accessible door.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-zhoor |
| Thank you | Mercimehr-see |
| How much is this? | Combien ça coûte ?kom-byan sah koot |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaîtlah-dee-syon seel voo pleh |
| Please take me to this address | Pouvez-vous m'emmener à cette adresse ?poo-vay voo mahm-nay ah set ah-dress |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Bonjour' on entering shops; avoid: Launching straight into English
- Dress: Cover up in town; avoid: Topless away from beaches
- Dining: Relax: service is unhurried; avoid: Rushing the bill
Red lines
- Cover up away from the beach: swimwear is for the beach.
Scams and watch-outs
- Taxi drivers who do not name a fare: agree the total and the currency before you get in.
- Currency mix-ups: check whether a price is in euros or US dollars, and count your change.
One and two days
1 day
The first day of the timed plan.
Day 1 — Fort Louis, then a 12:30 lunch at the marina
- 08:30Fort Louis
- 12:30Lunch table 12:30 (marina)
- Hotel or AC café 13:30–16:00; the waterfront at sunset if energy allows.
2 days
The first two days of the timed plan.
Day 1 — Fort Louis, then a 12:30 lunch at the marina
- 08:30Fort Louis
- 12:30Lunch table 12:30 (marina)
- Hotel or AC café 13:30–16:00; the waterfront at sunset if energy allows.
Day 2 — Market, waterfront and the marina
- 08:00Marigot waterfront market
- Boulevard de France waterfront (optional)
- Marina Port La Royale
- Terrace lunch at the marina; check the Anguilla ferry times if you plan it tomorrow.
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Saint-Martin Tourist Office: www.st-martin.org/
- Princess Juliana International Airport: www.sxmairport.com/
- Wikivoyage — Marigot: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Marigot
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/marigot). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.