St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

One of the most exclusive addresses in the world, the peninsula of Cap Ferrat is moored by the luxuriously sited pleasure port of St-Jean; from its portside walkways and crescent of beach you can look over the sparkling blue harbor to the graceful green bulk of the corniches. Yachts purr in and out of port, and their passengers scuttle into cafés for take-out drinks to enjoy on their private decks. On shore, the billionaires come and go, and trade gossip while residents of Cap Ferrat fiercely protect it from curious tourists; its grand old villas are hidden for the most part in the depths of tropical gardens. You can nonetheless try to catch peeks of them from the Coastline Promenade. Or just concentrate on shopping: Wednesday evenings in July and August there's a night market (7–11) at the Théâtre de la Mer.