Yes it’s a cliché, but St. Barths really does offer the best of both worlds. Here the stylish ambience of the south of France rubs shoulders with the vibrant beauty of the West Indies and so successful is this combination that it has become the island of choice for the international jet set. Anyone from Jack Nicholson to Gisele Bündchen has been photographed emerging from the surf in front of one of its chic beachfront hotels, and it’s a mark of the place that the reality lives up to this glossy image.

Intimate, boutique-style hotels are St Barths’s trademark, their flexible dining arrangements making it particularly easy for guests to sample the sixty or more restaurants that cover the island. The hearty lunches, gourmet dinners and fine wines on offer have all the hallmarks of France and whilst it might initially seem strange to be tucking into freshly baked croissants and well-matured French cheeses in the Caribbean, it is a way of life that is ridiculously easy to adapt to.

Slightly more fortitude may be required when it comes to getting around by car, however, the precipitous hills combining with the capital’s baffling one-way system add a dash of adventure to every stay. However, the rewards are well worth it; the designer boutiques and charming harbour of Gustavia enhanced by white sand beaches and beautiful bays that take the breath away.

THIS EXCLUSIVE LITTLE ISLAND IS REACHED BY A SHORT WINAIR OR PRIVATE CHARTER FLIGHT FROM ANTIGUA - WE OFFER EITHER BRITISH AIRWAYS AND VIRGIN ATLANTIC FLIGHTS FROM GATWICK OR BMI FROM MANCHESTER. ALL FLIGHTS ARE NON-STOP AND TAKE ABOUT 8 HOURS 40 MINUTES. SO WHY NOT SPEND A FEW DAYS IN ANTIGUA ON YOUR WAY THERE?