Pic Paradis is the island's highest point, rising to 424 meters in the northern interior of the French side. The trail to the summit passes through dense tropical forest — a sharp contrast to the coast below — and takes around an hour each way in good conditions. The path is unmaintained and can be slippery after rain; sturdy footwear and an early start (to avoid cloud building) are both advisable.
The reward is a 360-degree view across both the Dutch and French sides of the island, with clear views to the surrounding islands on a good day. The forest on the upper slopes is the closest thing the island has to undisturbed habitat, with tree ferns, bromeliads, and relatively abundant birdlife. It is a useful reminder that this heavily developed tourist island has a genuinely wild interior.