Anse Marcel Villas, St Martin

Anse Marcel is a hidden, hill-wrapped bay on the island's northern tip, a calm protected beach, a small yacht marina and hiking trails to wild coves, about as secluded as the French side gets.

Anse Marcel sits in a deep, sheltered bay tucked into the hills at the very north of the French side, reached by a winding road over the ridge from Grand Case. It is one of the most private corners of the island: a calm, protected beach good for swimming and paddleboarding, the small Port de Lonvilliers marina with its yachts and a couple of waterfront restaurants, and a resort, all enclosed by green hillsides with no through-traffic.

From here a coastal hiking trail leads over the headland to Petites Cayes and Grandes Cayes, undeveloped beaches you often have to yourself, and the marina is a natural base for day-sails to Anguilla, Tintamarre or St. Barth. Villas in Anse Marcel are set on the slopes around the bay with views over the harbour and the sea. Grand Case and its restaurant row are roughly 10 to 15 minutes away over the hill, Orient Bay around 15 to 20 minutes, Marigot about 20 minutes, and Princess Juliana International Airport roughly 30 minutes south.

Anse Marcel is for travelers who want genuine seclusion, a calm beach and a marina on the doorstep, hiking to wild coves, and a hillside villa well away from the busier south. See the Anse Marcel villas Coral Villas offers below.