Friar's Bay
Friar's Bay is a small beach located on the French side of St. Maarten, north of the Marigot, the capital. It is a cozy little bay, protected from the rough sea, and so makes a great place for swimming or otherwise enjoying the surf. It's known as a great place for families, largely for this reason.
There are amenities at hand on the beach, with multiple bars and restaurants offering drinks, snacks, and full meals. They even organize events from time to time, and the parties held during full moons are something to see.
We don't have any information on the snorkeling at Friar's Bay, which we take as something of a bad sign. It mostly has a reputation of being a pretty, quiet spot to relax on the beach and enjoy the simpler things in life, while still having access to basic amenities and services that some of the more remote beaches on St. Maarten don't offer.