Pic Paradis: Ultimate Guide to Hiking St. Martin’s Highest Peak 

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• Hiking distance: 2.8 miles roundtrip

• Hiking time: 2.5 hours (with no stops), 3 hours (with lots of photo stops)

• Difficulty: moderate

Park at Loterie Farm.

Google Maps will lead you right there. Arrive at opening time at 9 am to avoid the heat and the crowds. Loterie Farm is closed Monday and Tuesday. Plan accordingly. 

The staff will provide you with a map and walking sticks.

The cost is 10 euros a person.

The trailhead is accessed shortly after the reception area.  

After you check in, walk around to the back. The restrooms are right there. Take advantage because there are no facilities for the rest of the hike.

There’s also a bin full of walking sticks. I strongly suggest taking one.   

A big sign designates the trailhead. Trace the trail to the left of the sign.

The first part of the trail is gradually uphill. About 10 minutes later, you will reach what is designated as “Spring Source” on your trail map.

Follow the hiking sign on the right up to the Chewbaca Viewpoint.

This section of the trail involves steep switchbacks until you reach the Chewbaca Viewpoint. There are a few sections that are roped off to make sure you stay on track.

One thing I love about hiking Pic Paradis is that the trail is mostly shaded!

Next, you will encounter a small rock scramble section that you can initially navigate hands-free.

There will come a point though where you will need both hands to pull yourself up using the rope. Nothing too scary though.

The picture below shows the point at the end of the rock scramble. You can see the rope coursing down the middle.

Don’t worry. You don’t have to hike back down this section.

The views from the top of the rock scramble are gorgeous! This point on the trail is known as Chewbaca Viewpoint.  

Shortly after the viewpoint, you will reach an intersection.

Stay left to continue on the hike. Note you will be coming back to this point after you reach the summit of Pic Paradis and then following the trail to the right that states “Back to the Farm.”

Refer back to the map if this is confusing.

The trail then continues uphill until you reach a gate that states Private Property on your right. Do not take the trail beside it. That’s not part of the Pic Paradis trail. 

If you see this gate, go back in the opposite direction along the road. You will pick up the trail again on the right, which is clearly marked (see picture below). It’s another uphill section.

You’re going to have to work off all those Ti’punches you had on Pinel Island for those views!

You will now reach an intersection that splits into three.

Take Path #3 to the right. It ends at the official summit of Pic Paradis.

You have now reached 1,391 feet. The views are breathtaking and overlook Tintamarre Island to the far left all the way to Philipsburg to the far right.

Re-trace your steps. Path #1 and #2 are just a circle (refer back to the pic).

It doesn’t matter which path you take. They will both lead to a trail next to two telecom stations.

The path ends with a view over Marigot and Anguilla. Not as beautiful as the other viewpoints but nice nonetheless. 

Re-trace your steps on the trail and follow the signs “Back to the Farm.” Refer back to the photo at Chewbaca Viewpoint for orientation. It’s downhill from here.

I read some people say they saw black-faced vervet monkeys on the trail. I was hoping I would see them and was disappointed because we had not seen any up until this point.

That quickly changed.

We finally saw monkeys at the end of the trail from the Chewbaca Viewpoint to the Base Camp! Refer back to the trail map for the exact location we saw them.

And not just one monkey but a whole family of monkeys! They were incredibly curious but never got too close.

At the end of the hike, you could spend a day at Loterie Farm swimming (for an additional 25 euros), having lunch, or drinking at the bar.

They also have an adventure course where you can zipline.

St. Martin is not just about the beautiful beaches and incredible French food. It also offers some incredible hikes. Hiking Pic Paradis should definitely be one of your top things to do in St. Martin! In my opinion, the Chewbaca Viewpoint offers the best views. And you might even get lucky and see monkeys.

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Questions about our hike to Pic Paradis?

Let me know in the comments below!