last edited Dec 11, 2019
Culture, Society, and Customs of Saint Barthélemy
Location Map of Saint Barthélemy
Saint Barthélemy
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Key Historical Dates
Arts and Architecture
Society
Population
Economy
Customs and Traditions
Local Culture and Traditions
Languages
While French is the official language, English is widely spoken on the island in a tourist context. Alongside it, the local patois (a type of "French of the Americas," as it is defined) and "Creole" (of the Martinican variety) are also spoken as "traditional" languages. Despite a century of Swedish presence in Saint Barthélemy (1784–1878), Swedish never took hold on the island.
Festivals and Public Holidays
January 1: New Year’s Day.
February: Carnival.
March–April: Easter.
May 1: Labor Day.
May 8: Victory Day.
May–June: Ascension Day.
May–June: Whit Monday.
May 27: Abolition of Slavery.
July 14: National Day.
August 15: Assumption Day.
November 1: All Saints’ Day.
November 11: Armistice Day.
December 25: Christmas.
December 31: New Year’s Eve.