St Barthelemy is the Monte Carlo of the Caribbean, without the traffic jams but with the added advantage of flawless beaches. Shortened to Saint Barth in French – and St Barts in English – it is an exclusive eight square mile (21 sq km) embodiment of 24-carat French chic. It attracts millionaires on luxury yachts, movie stars and French expatriates fleeing the European winter. The English proverb "the best things come in small packages" could have been coined for St Barthelemy. It has 22 beaches, all of them magnificent and some of them accessible only by boat. When Christopher Columbus sailed to this beautiful island in 1493, he only stayed long enough to name it before moving on. Today, it offers those on vacation a much more rewarding break. There is almost too much to enjoy.