Only 20 kilometres away from St Martin, St Barts belongs to France and holds tight to preserve its identity in everything. Most of its 7000 residents only speak Moliere‘s language, the currency is the euro, the internet server is wanadoo and the croissants and the baguettes, authentic and home­made, can easily rival those of any boulangerie in Paris.

St Barts is typically French in every metre of its 25 square kilometres and every grain of sand of its 14 beaches. Where, let‘s add, everyone is allowed to be topless or even nude.

Enjoying this exclusive touch isn‘t cheap, least of all for the locals, who depend on imports for every item, and even less to the 200,000 visitors who spend their vacation on the island.

Everything is sophisticated and expensive. Thinking about a place to stay¬ There are hotels galore, starred and trendy, each more exclusive than the other. But be ready to melt down your credit card, as you‘ll never find a rate with less than three digits.

Do you want to relax and indulge in a beauty treatment in one of the day spas¬ There‘s more than enough places to choose from, and any of them would make Cleopatra drool with envy.

Is your appetite feeling gastronomic¬ As with any place in France, St Barts doesn/t lack restaurants. From Italian to Creole, almost 40 establishments specialise in international cuisine and most are proud to offer well­known French recipes.

Think fresh foie gras, for instance, but also kobe beef, and whatever it takes to get to this menu degustation will only make your wallet lighter. That‘s the reason why, after settling down for a couple of days in St Barts, you might even agree it‘s "cheap" for a small beach house to cost around 2.5 million euros. Well, that‘s really quite a bargain compared with other mansions around the island for sale above seven million euros.

On the other hand, this exclusivity has its compensations, not only for the locals, who take advantage of their affluent clientele, but also for the visitors, who are able to find deserted beaches, enjoy first­class service and luxurious accommodation. Above all, they do not run the risk of bumping into crowds of noisy passengers from one of the enormous cruise ships seen anchored in most of the Caribbean islands.

In the first place, the port of Gustavia doesn‘t have enough space for these ships. Furthermore, this form of tourism doesn‘t match the l‘art de vivre of the people of St Barts. To local eyes it would be the equivalent of a barbarian invasion.

"Oh, mon Dieu! Quelle horreur!" exclaimed one restaurateur when I mentioned those gigantic floating towns. Port authorities may tolerate a couple of gigantic superyachts owned by tycoons and millionaires, with a politically correct number of passengers.

For there are not too many to disturb the island‘s philosophy but enough for their owners and guests to spend small fortunes in the fashionable boutiques scattered along the quay and elsewhere. Most boutiques are in Gustavia, near the port. International brands such as Louis Vuitton, Lacoste, Bulgari and Cartier are to be found. Speciality shops include the exclusive and pricey wines at La Cave du Port Franc in Gustavia; L‘Atelier, with its t­shirts hand­painted by a local artist, Etienne Jaeger, and which sell for as little as five euros, and Ligne St Barth cosmetics, with its exclusive line of fine, natural cosmetics made on the island. For lower prices, try the shops at Baie St Jean, close to Eden Rock Hotel.

Another reason to control the number of visitors is only one road circles the island and it‘s already too busy by local standards, mostly during la saison, the high season from Christmas to Easter. During this period you may even face traffic congestion in some spots in town or near the most famous beaches.

You can rent a Smart car, a Mini Cooper, a Jeep or a motorcycle, but the best way to move around St Barts is on a quad bike. Handy and easy to use, it‘s perfect for two and let‘s you explore the island from tip to toe. With a car you may have some trouble finding a parking space, while with a quad you can tuck right into the beach a few metres from the sand.

Also, it‘s much more fun to drive a quad in the heat and it‘s practical in the middle of a traffic jam. Wear a helmet for safety but don‘t worry about where to leave them, as no­one will bother to steal them. As far as safety is concerned, St Barts is an example. Nobody locks their cars and any object, from a towel to a purse or a cellphone, may be seen lying in an open vehicle without a problem.

Speaking about beaches, these are the natural and main attraction of St Barts. Folks are always lying somewhere on a stretch of sand, relaxed on their towels, reading a book or drinking a beer, soaking in the sun, taking a dip in the warm sea, surfing or kite surfing. Each beach has a character of its own.

The most deserted is Colombier, where you must park on top of the hill and hike down a very steep trail for over 20 minutes to reach this charming stretch of sand, mostly sought­after by sailing boat crews and guests anchored in this protected bay.

The classic beach is Anse des Flamands, which is gorgeous but full of guests from nearby hotels and rented villas. On the other hand, it‘s ideal for long walks and swimming in the calm sea. In some spots, you can even surf.

The trendiest beach is St Jean, a small stretch of sand and the most famous spot on the island. It‘s the target of every traveller because that‘s where the Eden Rock Hotel stands. Extremely packed during the high season, you can let the kids loose to have fun in the calm and transparent sea.

The most protected is Lorient in the northern part of the island, where rocks prevent big waves from rolling in, so it‘s ideal for swimming and sunbathing.

The wildest is Gouverneur, a cozy beach naturally protected by vegetation. There‘s almost no construction and it‘s good for swimming but not for walks, as the stretch of sand is narrow.

The most sought­after beach is Saline, where the northern and southern ends are popular with nudists. In between it‘s very democratic, with families, and the beach is big enough for everyone to enjoy swimming in the calm waters, strolling and people­watching.

Check them all if you have time by going to two or three different ones every day. Take water, sunscreen and something to eat, as most don‘t have a store nearby. The exceptions are St Jean Beach, where the trendy Nikki Lounge is located, or Flamands Beach, where you can sip a truly expensive drink in the sandbar of the sophisticated hotel Isle de France.

When you fly out of St Barts over those red­tiled roofs and small white buildings, you realise it‘s not only luxury which rules this charming, sexy and sophisticated island full of beautiful people. What‘s impressive is their concern to maintain a specific way of life which is quite simple: preserve nature and the environment and keep the harmony between the island and those who visit it. Voila!