WHICH is the Caribbean's most bijou island? The crème de la crème destination for a piece of paradise is St Bart's, officially Saint Barthélémy. It's a favourite with the jet set and as popular for its lively “scene” as for its idyllic scenery. Jagged hills create an impressive backdrop to sweeping coves and dramatic headlands. The sheltered port, Gustavia, is dotted with Sunseekers and giant motor yachts in the evening.

The St Bart's season is wintertime, starting with a bang at Christmas and New Year as half of Hollywood celebrates in style. The whole island is drenched in glamour, but the action revolves around a few key spots. There are five hotels with serious kudos - Eden Rock, Guanahani, Le Sereno, Taiwana, and the most charming of them all, Isle de France, with its residence club. It is hidden away at one end of a long curve of white sand, Baie des Flamands. The focal point of this ten-acre private resort is the terrace restaurant overlooking the beach and pool, behind which the villas fan inland. The resort is a mere five minutes' drive from the airport, and ten minutes' drive from the harbour.

Isle de France is not for the insecure. The resort's male guests have very big bank balances and the female guests have very big sunglasses to complement their minuscule Missoni bikinis. Two rows of shaded sunloungers line the shore, with laundered beach towels on which to rest your perfect (and possibly surgically enhanced) body while waiters proffer cocktails. For many visitors, swimming is not on the agenda; wearers of designer bikinis don't do saltwater.

They do, however, frequent the Molton Brown spa - one of the best on the island, naturally - as well as La Case de L'Isle restaurant, the chi-chi boutique and the fitness centre. All the services of the Isle de France hotel are available to those who part-own a villa - room service, transport around the island and personalised grocery shopping.

The style of the villas is a reminder that this is the French West Indies, with chic white exteriors and classic touches inside. Every house differs in design and location, but all have a small private pool or spa bath on the terrace. Choose from the two-bedroom Beach Villa, the two-bedroom Garden Villa, the one-bedroom Tropical Villa, the two-bedroom Eden Villa or the two-bedroom Fisherman's Cottage.

The villas are for sale through the Folio Collection, a private residence club that specialises in the fractional ownership of properties in the world's most desirable locations. By becoming a member of the Isle de France Club through the Folio Collection, you are in effect buying into a US trust that has a 75-year lease to use the villas and club facilities. The club's shared-ownership scheme allows members to use their villa for five or six weeks a year, depending on the package. Prices range from €273,812 (£204,301) to €616,078 (£459,723), and membership is available to ten buyers per villa. Quarterly membership fees range from €1,763 (£1,314) to €2,644 (£1,971).

Unlike a traditional timeshare, where usage is booked in fixed blocks, members can request 28 days at any time of year while also reserving one or two fixed weeks. A rotating priority system ensures that all the members have equal access in peak season and villas can be let through the Isle de France hotel, which takes a fee of 40 per cent of rental income. Members can also reserve rooms at other Folio Collection properties, which include the new Pond Bay Club, another exclusive resort hideaway, on St John, in the US Virgin Islands.

ST. BART'S FACT FILE

Area: 8 square miles.

Population: 6,852.

Capital: Gustavia.

Climate: 28°C (82F) on average, with rain in the autumn.

Language: French, although English is widely spoken.

Currency: euro, but US dollars are accepted.

Flights: via Antigua from London or via St Martin from Paris. With only a tiny airstrip, many people come by boat from nearby islands.

What to do: snorkel, sail, hire a 4x4.

Where to eat: Le Gaiac, Le Tamarin, Au Port, L'Ananas, Do Brazil, Maya's.

Where to party: Le Ti St-Barth, Nikki Beach.

Famous faces: Elle Macpherson, Mick Jagger, Roman Abramovich and Daria Zhukova, to name but a few.

For more information on the Isle de France residence club contact Quintessentially Estates: 0845 2243658 www.quintessentiallyestates.com

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