Designer labels beckon: Hermès, Cartier, Versace, Armani, Longchamp. This is window shopping extraordinaire — international haute couture and chic, one-of-a-kind boutiques. At SiBarth, we are enticed inside to browse the shop’s floor-to-ceiling displays of goods. Between crowded racks of silk skirts and colorful beach wraps, we find a hamper of Jimmy Choo shoes. I grab a pair of strappy slingback sandals with large Swarovski crystal clusters and peek at the price tag, marked in euros. I show my traveling companions, fashion-savvy New Yorkers who inspect my prospective purchase and nod in unison to confirm the bargain I have discovered.

We agree: C’est très cool.

Our afternoon shopping excursion is decidedly reminiscent of av Victor-Hugo or rue du Faubourg-St-Honoré. We are not, however, patronizing a famous Parisian shopping address. We’re in the charming town of Gustavia on the French West Indies island of St. Barthélemy, where a whole lot of France is packed into a petite, eight-square-mile strip of paradise.

Here, shopping is grand, often a bargain — and duty free. Beaches are pristine. Cuisine is uncompromising. Accommodations are luxurious. And being a tourist is defined by an easy pace. St. Barths, as the locals refer to the island, honors the traditions of its Gallic roots, with just the right amount of French flair, and inspires a distinctive joie de vivre, with unmistakable Caribbean panache.

ISLAND OASIS
Ruled under the French flag, St. Barths lies at the easternmost point of the French West Indies. Discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1648, and named for his brother, Bartholome, the island began to flourish when colonists from Normandy and Brittany arrived just before the turn of the 18th century. Today, St. Barths is an exclusive retreat for travelers who want to combine a beach vacation with the luxuries of the world’s cosmopolitan cities. This is the place to go to get away from it all — and still have it all.

Getting away from it all means the utmost privacy without sacrificing the "good life." Glimpses of A-list celebrities are common, but that’s typically what it is — a glimpse. While many of the rich and famous are frequent visitors, and many have homes on the island, they come to the island seeking privacy and anonymity. Instead of being the place to be seen, St. Barths is the place not to be seen, and the locals pride themselves on providing visitors that type of milieu.

At the same time, having it all while on vacation, en vacance, in St. Barths is not a complicated thing to do. The tallest structure on the island is the traditional black and white striped lighthouse that overlooks the marina in Gustavia, the island’s capital "city." Gustavia seamlessly mixes corner pubs, patisseries, and beachwear shops with high-end fashion houses. But casual chic also is in vogue on St. Barths. With bright colors and simple designs, Lacoste obviously is a favorite apparel maker of St. Barthians.

SUN-KISSED FUN
Nearly 20 beaches outline St. Barthélemy. Shell beach, near Gustavia, is small, but embraces the festive mood of the town and its name indicates another of its attractions for visitors — it’s a nice spot for shelling. Colombier, the largest beach, located on the northeast point of the island, is a favored spot for snorkeling. Take a boat to Colombier or access will require a steep climb on a path from Petite Anse and past Flamands Beach. However, the hike is well worth the view that opens up just as hikers approach their destination. The small and quaint Corossol Beach is located near a small fishing village where you’ll also find St. Barths’ seashell museum. St. Jean Beach is reminiscent of Cap Ferrat in France, both in its beauty and its savoir faire. Separated by the Eden Rock promontory, the ritzy St. Jean beach is surrounded by hotels and restaurants. Reminder: Since French traditions rule on St. Barths, beach "attire," les vêtements de plage, usually means topless and, at times, consists of nothing at all.

BON APPÉTIT
When hunger calls, 80 restaurants serve up the culinary delicacies and food is flown in every other day from Paris to ensure freshness. A favorite is Le Select, a hamburger joint whose delectable burgers inspired Jimmy Buffet’s "Cheeseburgers in Paradise." French food with a Caribbean flavor describes much of the cuisine on St. Barths. Leisurely five-course meals are the norm, as they are in France, but here, most of the eating establishments offer an accompanying ocean view. The sumptuous crème brûlée at the beachside Nikki Beach provides a sensual experience that is only heightened by the restaurant’s intimate decor dominated by white linen. The linens sway in the ocean breeze and the soft candlelight casts a creamy, buttery color over the casual drapings.

Meals are finished with the island requisite of an aperitif of vanilla rum, often brewed locally, if not by the restaurant itself. Served warm, the thick, golden liquid coats your throat. And as the nights on St. Barths are cool, the desire heightens for yet another glass of vanilla rum, or perhaps a steaming cup of espresso, strong and black with just a dollop of cream and cinnamon shavings on top.

PLAY & STAY
Per European custom, come lunchtime, shops in St. Barths close for an extended déjeuner, but that provides a perfect opportunity to explore the cheerful streets of Gustavia. Walk along the marina to find the Anglican church, a charming one-room building that was built in the late 1700s and still holds services.

Gustavia’s marina itself is reminiscent of southern France’s Cote d’Azur. The yachts are large and sleek with romantic French names painted on the hull, their origins often exotic locales such as Anguilla or Nevis.

Getting around St. Barths typically requires transportation by either boat or car. Or you can live on the wild side and choose a moped or a Mini Moke. Of course, don’t forget: St. Barthians are French at heart (and at the wheel) and they regard the local (and hilly) roads with hairpin turns their own little Autoroute. Car rentals, from small SUVs to the mopeds, are available at various locations throughout the island.

When it’s finally time to prop up your feet, 40 small resorts and hotels blend into the undulations of flora and fauna on the island. Just beyond St. Jean is the popular Hôtel Guanahani, which consists of 75 guest bungalows, two restaurants, a Clarins spa, a reception area, a fitness facility, and two beaches. Ranked as one of the "leading small hotels of the world," the Guanahani is quaint and comfortable. The bungalows are small, colorful Creole-inspired buildings, sparsely and tastefully decorated with crisp white fabrics, hardwood floors, marble countertops and showers with Hermès and island-made lotions and soaps in the bathrooms, and spacious balconies with views of the ocean.

Many guests so appreciate the hospitality of the Guanahani that they book their next vacation at checkout. And note: Winter vacations, especially around the holidays, often are made a year in advance. And no wonder. St. Barthélemy truly offers a unique combination of idyllic island setting and French culture — the best of two worlds together in the middle of the Caribbean. Magnifique.

"ALLEZ"
I am standing on a cliff in the French West Indies, overlooking the Caribbean Sea, and taking in the breathtaking view. The waves lap gently where the water meets the base of the cliff, some 10 meters below. Jagged rock formations dot the sea and the sun peeks out between them. A breathtaking sunset begins to appear on the horizon. French flags flap in the wind and are my only compatriots on this perilous perch. The ocean’s magnitude and St. Barths’ natural beauty mesmerize me. Then I hear the shout: "Allez." The French boat captain and tour guide is urging me to go. He’s treading water since he has already made his jump. He is now waiting for me to dive in. I take a deep breath and feel the goose bumps on my arms.

Whoosh.

12 METRE CHALLENGE
The enormous white mainsail on the spectacular 70-foot yacht True North is stretched taut and filled with air. The jib sail on the bow snaps into place and the wind is ours. The vessel eases and moans under the tension, its rigging whistling in the wind, lines pulling hard against the pressure. Breathless, those of us onboard fight through the pain of exhausted muscles and sore hands as we pull lines and grind the winches, tweak the sails, and man the course — a course that seems to be headed for a collision with one of the challenger boats. But, as the skipper says, "We have the right of way. Man your positions and steady the course, crew. We’re about to overtake the Stars and Stripes boat and win this race!"

I am about to win the America’s Cup, I tell myself, as the True North passes a hair’s breath in front of Stars and Stripes. I envision the raising of the flag and the uncorking of champagne.

All right, all right, this wasn’t actually the America’s Cup race. It was, as its publicity touts, the "best excursion in the Caribbean," but the thrill of victory seemed every bit as sweet as the real thing.

Thanks to the 12 Metre Challenge on St. Martin, the experience of sailing an America’s Cup boat can be yours — in fewer than three hours.

You, too, can ease the mainsail, let out the jib, man the helm, or even be the captain of an America’s Cup boat. The 12 Metre Challenge, located in Bobby’s Marina in St. Martin, allows sailors and nonsailors alike to experience the thrill of sailing in a unique hands-on experience. With three boats in the fleet, all of which were previous contenders in an America’s Cup race, the purpose of the 12 Metre Challenge is to allow participants to actually sail the boats in a scaled-down version of an America’s Cup race. Each person is given a crew member’s position and is instructed on his or her responsibility on the boat. Once the jobs have been practiced, the captain calls everyone to their stations and the race begins. The yachts participate in a match race in a shortened version of the America’s Cup course — three upwind and two downwind legs.

"This is one of the best things to do in the Caribbean," agrees Tom Bradlee, a member of Nags Head Golf Links in North Carolina’s Outer Banks, who along with his wife, Carol, and their family were taking part in the 12 Metre Challenge — for the second time. "We really think this is a neat experience."

Reservations must be made in advance. For more information on the 12 Metre Challenge, or to secure your spot on the boat, visit www.12metrechallenge.com.

GETTING THERE
An island oasis set in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, St. Barthélemy is four hours from New York City and three hours from Miami. Travelers fly into neighboring St. Martin and choose either a 15-minute commuter flight or a 1-1/2 hour boat charter to St. Barths.

WHERE TO STAY
• Hôtel Guanahani, St. Barthélemy www.guanahani-hotel.com
• La Samanna, St. Martin www.lasamanna.com

DON’T FORGET
• Passport
• Bug repellant
• Clothes suitable for cooler nights
• Handy French travel dictionary