The Perfect lunch at Frenchman’s Cove Jamaica

Swinging gently in the evening breeze, my legs dipping into the clear jade hued river, the faint whisper of the wistful music carrying on the breeze. Life is good at Frenchman’s Cove. As I sat there on my swing, surrounded by lush forest and staring out to where the river met the ocean, the sun started to make her slow, dramatic decent. I wanted to stay in that moment forever.

Frenchman’s Cove was described in an old folklore tale as being the safe sanctuary for wounded French soldiers after losing an “explosive battle with canon fire and swashbucklers” to the British.

The now world famous private beach was made popular in the 1960s by the Hollywood stars and royalty who stayed here. The 48 acre property was purchased by Garfield Weston, the man behind Fortnum and Mason and Selfridges and developed into the first all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean. This set the benchmark for all top-end all inclusive resorts and we were lucky enough to get to visit.

The River at Frenchman’s Cove

Everything about Frenchman’s Cove was enchanting; it all started crossing the bridge over this crystal river. The vines hanging down and the water gently flowing beneath us, a hint of the sea visible beyond enticing us on further down the path.

The beach came into view with its powdery rose tinted sand graduating away to be claimed by the ocean beyond. Excited for lunch at the aptly named “Le Pirate Café” we were introduced to Damion, our waiter for the day. We got to pick exactly where we wanted our table, as you could sit anywhere you wanted – even in the sea!

The beach at Frenchman’s Cove

We settled under the shade of a nearby palm tree. We had barely ordered our cocktails before he brought them out to our table, cold and delicious.

Classic Jerk Chicken Plate and Festivals

Our lunch experience was enhanced by the literal paradise we were sitting in. We both ordered the classic jerk chicken plates with a side of festivals. We had just discovered our love for these doughnut-esque festivals and had them as often as we could. The chicken was beautifully moist and very tasty, the perfect light lunch before and afternoon of exploring this idyllic place.

And explore we did.

Looking towards the Beach and Le Petite Cafe from the water

Starting in the alluring sea we swam out as far as we could to reach the rope across the bay. It was warmer on one side than the other, as the cool fresh river merged with the warmer salt water.

Enjoying the water at Frenchman’s Cove

There are lots of smaller little coves on this side that you can swim into, but be careful, the water is deeper than it looks.

The River at Frenchman’s Cove

From there we swam to the lush river, which flows slowly towards the sea and the riverbank plays host to some swings where we whiled away some of our time.

Trying to swing on the double swing

All too quickly the sun started to set and the beach started to empty. We we walked down to the sea again for one final swim in this warm Caribbean utopia.

Frenchman’s Cove Beach

Frenchman’s Cove surpassed all my expectations, not just in the beautiful surroundings. It was the perfect place to relax away from the crowds; for such a well known beach it was surprisingly quiet. Access to this private beach can is $10 per person, per day if you aren’t staying at the hotel. There were chairs, loungers, showers and toilet facilities there. However there aren’t many places on the beach offering shade, apart from the awnings for the restaurant or the shadows from a few palms. This wasn’t a problem for us though as we didn’t spend long in one place.

Most of all our experience was made even more incredible by the wonderful, friendly staff who were all too happy to ensure you had a great time. Damion’s mantra is to “make all our guests happy,”and he saw to it that we had everything we needed throughout the day. As well as ensuring that he had a drink ready for us as soon as we made our way back to our loungers. I would encourage you to make time to speak with the locals to find out more about their gorgeous country and culture. We had a great time learning and listening to some of their favourite songs. If you are unsure about where else to go or to see, either sight seeing or for evening entertainment, they have some great suggestions.

Sunset over Frenchman’s Cove

So until I make it back to you Frenchman’s Cove, one love.

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Thank you to the Frenchman’s Cove Jamaica for hosting our day. However, this was an amazing experience and all opinions in this article are honest and our own.

Last modified: 21st September 2016