With its reputation as a chic getaway, French St. Barts has a natural side, too, with rolling hills, secluded beaches and gin-clear waters.

At just eight square miles, tiny St. Barthelemy (known as St. Barts) is a diamond in the rough – arid and hilly, with a handful of good beaches. But scratch the surface and you’ll see why jet-setters have had an ongoing love affair with the island Christopher Columbus named after his brother Bartholomé.

After hundreds of years of back and forth between European powers, St. Barts became a French province in 1877 and is a dependency of Guadeloupe. Most of the residents are French-speaking descendants of the first Norman and Breton settlers, so French is the official language, though just about everyone can converse in English.

The island offers plenty to do – such as snorkeling, diving, windsurfing, sailing and fishing – but most savvy vacationers visit to get away from it all by holing up in villas hidden in the hills. You can find a beachfront room, but seasoned travelers know the best buys are high above the water where the views are even more spectacular than the architecturally bold lodgings themselves. If you’re looking for a bargain, rates drop up to 50 percent in the summertime.

Even if you decide to stay on the beach, you’ll want a car to explore the steep roads. Though you may not be here for a history lesson, take a day trip to quaint Corossol, a fishing village where local women in starched white bonnets sell their woven baskets, bags and hats along a narrow road.

European Luxuries
Gustavia is the main town, with a harbor full of impressive yachts and fabulous duty-free shopping for French and Italian goods. Most of the island’s 100 restaurants are here, and French cuisine is on par with some of the world’s best dining. Seafood is tops, from tuna and spiny lobster to fish soup and salt cod fritters, prepared with imported ingredients that arrive twice a week from the United States and France. Notable chefs from France and the U.S. frequently visit the island to sample the food, and young chefs who have trained in many of France’s greatest restaurants often head to St. Barts for their first jobs.

After-dark diversions can be offbeat on St. Barts. To watch a movie, gather with the locals at the A.J.O.E. tennis court in Lorient, where films are projected onto a concrete wall. Tip a few with sailors at Le Select, a local hangout. To hobnob with the other vacationers, head to lively spots like Bête à Z’Ailes, La Plage, “Nikki Beach” and le Ti-St Barth, which often have live music.

Every year, St. Barts hosts the Festival de Musique, attracting top international performers in January and February, and an April film festival specializing in Caribbean cinema.

It’s a place with plenty to do, but many visitors do little more than eat, sleep and play. The small island has more than a dozen beaches. You can choose from the secluded Anse a Colombier, reached via hike on a steep trail unless you go by boat, or the easy-access Baie de St. Jean. All the beaches are public and free.