Frenchtown is a small fishing village founded by French Huguenots who immigrated to St Thomas in the mid-19th C from the French island of St Barts. Today, the frequent cruise ships dock in Frenchtown, and the village has become the most frequented restaurant quarter on St Thomas. Lying on a peninsula on the western side of St Thomas Harbor, Frenchtown is characterized by brightly colored frame homes and was once populated by a community of 1500 people speaking a mix of West Indian Creole and 18th C Breton French.
The Havensight Mall features over 180 stores and businesses, offering everything from locally made goods, fine jewellery, liquor, electronics, books, gourmet markets and more. There are also restaurants and cafés in the mall.
Tips: Banks, pharmacy, photo processing and other services can be found in the mall.
The Paradise Point Tramway transports visitors 700ft/213m above sea level to Paradise Point, offering excellent vistas of St Thomas. The ride takes seven minutes each way, and at the top there is a self-guided nature trail and tropical bird show. An observation deck, cafes and boutiques are also found at Paradise Point.
Address: Paradise Point Tramway, 9617 Estate Thomas Tramway Building, Frenchtown, St Thomas 00802, United States Virgin Islands
Hours:
9:30am-4:30pm
Tips: Each Wednesday evening the tram-ride is free to watch the sunset (5 p.m. - dark).
As many as six cruise ships will anchor at the West India Company Cruise Ship Dock at one time. A coaling station and steamship wharf were found at the docks and surrounding areas in the 19th C.
Tips: Directly across from a major shopping district on St Thomas.