but this small airport is only able to accept regional planes arriving from nearby islands whereas the much larger Princess Juliana Airport on Sint Marteen is capable of receiving the largest aircraft in use today including accommodating direct arrivals from Europe and North America.
The main attraction for tourists of the French side versus the Dutch side is that the French side allows nude sunbathing. In addition, the clothing options, ironically, are considered to be higher end on the French side. The availability of French cuisine is also a draw for some visitors. French speaking tourists may prefer the French side although most islanders preferentially speak a local patois as well as English in order to work in the tourist industries.
As is true of all of the constituent territories of Overseas France, the official flag of Saint Martin is the standard French tri-color.
However, local variations exist
including the one flown from our flagpole today.
Join us next time as we visit another island component of Overseas France, much farther to the north and even more obscure than Saint Martin. A final hint: it is the last French outpost in North America.