port of call; On the spectacular coast of Corsica, Calvi remains a secret hideaway-for now.

Byline: Richard Alleman

Three hours by ferry from Nice (barely 30 minutes by plane), Calvi, on the west coast of the French island of Corsica, is the summer's hottest Mediterranean destination.

Often compared to St.-Tropez in the sixties, this pretty port is currently enjoying that special, ephemeral moment when its low-key charms are still intact despite its rising profile. Those charms start on the palm-tree-lined Quai Landry and

in its unpretentious cafes, bars, and restaurants-like Calellu, with arguably the best 20-Euro three-course menu in the Mediterranean.

The real glory of Calvi, though, is the hill town rising just beyond the port. Known as the Citadel, it's a dream of towering mansions connected by tunnels and secret stairways, and terraces with awesome views. Up here are galleries, tea salons, cafes, and the famous Chez Tao, a piano bar/nightclub with cavelike rooms, where everyone from Richard Burton to Demi Moore has been spotted. "If you come to Calvi, you must come here," says Tao-by Kerefoff, whose Russian-emigre father founded the place in the thirties. But he's wary of comparisons to St.-Tropez. "There it's all about seeing and being seen," he says. "People on their yachts sit facing town, showing off their suntans and their jewelry. Here, people turn away from the quay. Calvi still has a soul."

While many arrive on yachts, others zip in by helicopter, landing on the private pad of the posh La Villa hotel, set in the sweet-smelling hills just outside town. Guests often check in under assumed names and never venture beyond the resort. No need to-given the four ...