Grande Plage, Biarritz, France

The vibe: Beach bums meet fashion plates.

Picture this: A few folks are saying non to St. Tropez these days?too much lizard-skin cleavage and too many bad toupees. Instead they're opting for Biarritz, the surfer paradise on the Atlantic Ocean that's attracting a more discreet clique of glitterati and showbiz stars. Come for the gloriously snooty restaurants gastronomiques, the sexy surf dudes, or the famous cellulite-shrinking thalassotherapy spas.

The crowd: Lolitas in board shorts and floppy hats, celebrities (look for Karl Lagerfeld, Isabella Rossellini, and Paco Rabanne), and Parisian socialites on spa weekends

The sundowner: Kick off with a citron pressé then fall off the wagon with a thud?make mine a magnum of Moët, mon chéri.

Come to bed: Quiet time is best at the Maison del Mar, a traditional Basque cliffside villa with views of the Atlantic Ocean from the wooden sundeck.