Les Fruits de Mer

Les Fruits de Mer

Jan 21, 2025

Les Fruits de Mer is a non-profit association based in Grand Case, Saint Martin, dedicated to promoting awareness of the island’s unique ecology, culture, and heritage. Their mission focuses on educating both locals and visitors about the natural environment through various initiatives.

The organization produces a variety of publications, including guides, weekly wildlife columns, and activity books, aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of the island’s biodiversity. They also host free public events, such as the Migratory Bird Festival and the Endemic Animal Festival, which combine wildlife education with hands-on discovery and creative activities.

In addition to these events, Les Fruits de Mer operates Amuseum Naturalis, a pop-up natural history museum in Grand Case that has attracted over 10,000 visitors in two seasons. They create interpretive signage and exhibits to tell the stories of native animals and cultural heritage. Their work also extends to producing short documentary films that explore nature on St. Martin and the surrounding region.

Through these diverse efforts, Les Fruits de Mer aims to inspire appreciation for St. Martin’s natural and cultural heritage, ensuring that its unique stories and ecosystems are celebrated and preserved for generations to come.

Contact

Whatsapp: +590-690-88-56-42
info@lesfruitsdemer.com
Amuseum Naturalis:
The Old House
3XJF+392, Route de, Quartier D’Orléans 97150,
St. Martin

The Book of Cures

The Book of Cures

Dec 19, 2024

The book of cures is a small notebook from the 1800s. It was recovered from the remains of Pierre Beauperthuy’s museum in The Old House in St. Martin in late 2017. The house had been unattended for some years following Pierre’s death, and it was badly damaged during Hurricane Irma. Much of Pierre’s collection was still inside The Old House. It had been battered by the winds and rain, left exposed where the roof was torn open. Luckily, the notebook was one of the items that survived. In fact, it has survived many hurricanes since the first entries were written in it, perhaps 200 years ago.

This notebook, written by an unknown 19th-century author on the island of St. Martin with medical remedies and other useful information, provides a unique window into life on St. Martin.

Author Mark Yokoyama dives into the book’s different ‘cures’, from curing the ‘flux’ (dysentery) to recipes for improved rum. As such it provides interesting insight into the daily preoccupations of an 18th-century islander.