When to go to Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie?
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Best time: May to September
At a glance
Why go to Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie?
Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie is first and foremost a port, and that is what sets it apart from the neighbouring seaside resorts. Born in 1967 from the merger of Saint-Gilles-sur-Vie and Croix-de-Vie, two towns separated by the mouth of the Vie, it has kept its fishing fleet, its fish auction and its canneries. Sardines are serious business here, protected by a Label Rouge, and the boats returning to port in the late morning are as much part of the scenery as the parasols on the Grande Plage.
Around it, the Pays de Saint-Gilles brings together a varied coastline over a few dozen kilometres: the rocky corniche of Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez to the north, the sandy beaches and dunes of Brétignolles-sur-Mer to the south, with La Sauzaie, one of the best-known surf spots on the Atlantic. Behind the shore, marshes, pine forests, Lac du Jaunay and the Brem vineyards offer outings away from the beaches.
The destination suits families, who will find supervised beaches, cycle paths and gentler prices than on the Charente coast, but also couples and friends looking for a simple base to walk, surf and eat fresh fish. June and September are particularly pleasant: the sea is still warm, the light lingers and the car parks are empty.
Map of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie: what is where?
The map shows the 6 places covered in this guide, to picture the distances and plan your route.
- Saint-Gilles fishing port
- Grande Plage
- Corniche Vendéenne
- Maison du Pêcheur
- La Sauzaie beach
- Écomusée du Daviaud
How much does a trip to Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie cost?
| Style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Backpacker | €50-75 per day | camping, grilled sardines and markets, free beaches, corniche and Lac du Jaunay, bike hire. |
| Comfort | €100-150 per day | hotel or rental near the port, one fish restaurant a day, Maison du Pêcheur, Écomusée du Daviaud, surf lessons at Brétignolles. |
| Premium | €200 and up per day | sea-view hotel on the corniche or a spa hotel in Les Sables-d'Olonne, good restaurants, a boat trip, a day on the Île d'Yeu. |
Prices stay moderate outside July and August. In summer, book accommodation several months ahead, as hotels are few and rentals are in high demand.
Is Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie safe?
The coast is safe, but the ocean demands attention. Rip currents and those at the mouth of the Vie can sweep swimmers away, especially on a falling tide: swim at supervised beaches and obey the flags. The La Sauzaie wave breaks over rocks and is not for beginners. On the Corniche Vendéenne, the rocks are slippery and waves can catch you out at spring tides: keep well back from the edge. In summer, protect yourself from the sun, as the sea breeze masks the heat. On coastal roads, cyclists are numerous in July and August, so drive carefully.
What to see and do in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie
- Saint-Gilles fishing port
- Grande Plage
- Corniche Vendéenne
- Maison du Pêcheur
- La Sauzaie beach
- Lac du Jaunay
- Brem-sur-Mer vineyards
- Écomusée du Daviaud
Saint-Gilles fishing port
The port of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie occupies the estuary of the Vie, which cuts the town in two. On the right bank, old Croix-de-Vie, the sailors' quarter, lines up its low houses and narrow lanes; on the left bank, the older Saint-Gilles-sur-Vie is laid out around its church. The two towns merged in 1967, and the Pont de la Concorde, built in 1952, links them. The port is still busy, with bolincheurs fishing for sardines with purse seines and trawlers, and the fish auction selling the catch to wholesalers every morning. Saint-Gilles sardines carry a Label Rouge, a guarantee of same-day fishing and rapid processing, and several canneries, including La Perle des Dieux, which specialises in vintage sardines, carry on the work by hand. The quays can be walked from the station to the jetty, with stops at fishmongers and tinned-fish shops. The tourist office runs guided tours of the fish auction and the port, by reservation.
Grande Plage
The Grande Plage is the main beach of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, south of the mouth of the Vie. Its fine sand and gentle slope make it a family beach, supervised in summer, with beach clubs and sailing schools in season. A promenade runs along the seafront, lined with villas, apartment blocks and restaurants, and continues south towards the wilder beaches of Brétignolles. At its northern end, the jetty along the harbour channel is the evening meeting place: people watch the fishing boats come and go, sailing boats slip through the harbour mouth and the sun sink into the ocean. The town was officially classified as a seaside resort in 1982, and the seafront stays lively from June to September. Out of season, the beach becomes a vast space for dog walkers and runners, and spring tides expose a wide strip of sand. Beware of the currents near the river mouth, especially on a falling tide.
Corniche Vendéenne
The Corniche Vendéenne is one of the rare rocky stretches of a mostly sandy coastline. It runs from the north of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie to Sion-sur-l'Océan, in the commune of Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez, whose 13 kilometres of coast are 15% rocky. A path and a scenic road follow low cliffs carved by the sea into coves, arches and jumbles of boulders. The Cinq Pineaux, five isolated rocks off the coast, are the site's most photographed image; the Trou du Diable, a fissure into which the swell crashes thunderously in heavy weather, draws onlookers on stormy days. The Arrondeau viewpoint offers a view that reaches, on a clear day, as far as the Île d'Yeu. At low tide, the rock platforms reveal pools where children hunt for crabs and shrimps. The evening light, skimming the rocks, is the best for photographing the corniche.
Maison du Pêcheur
The Maison du Pêcheur is a fisherman's home restored to its 1920s interior, at 22 rue du Maroc, renovated in 1993 and owned by the town. It recreates the home of a sardine-fishing family: two rooms, a courtyard, period furniture, Sunday best and working clothes, crockery, everyday objects and photographs of the boats. The guided visit lasts about an hour and a quarter and focuses on stories: the lives of the women who worked in the canneries, the men leaving for sea, and the history of sardine fishing that made the town prosperous in the 19th and 20th centuries. It opens from 1 April to 30 September and during school holidays, in the afternoon from 14:30 to 17:30, except on Tuesdays and Sundays, for €4 per adult and €2 per child. The place is modest, but it rounds off a morning on the port nicely and puts a human face on the quays.
La Sauzaie beach
La Sauzaie, in Brétignolles-sur-Mer, is one of the best-known waves among French surfers. It breaks over a rocky reef, which gives it a regular, powerful shape when the westerly swell comes in, and it has hosted international competitions such as the Protest Vendée Pro. Around it, the Brétignolles coast lines up nearly 12 kilometres of beaches and dunes, from La Sauzaie to La Parée, La Normandelière and the Plages des Dunes. On La Parée beach, low tides sometimes reveal peat and tree stumps, remains of an ancient forest swallowed by the sea. The town grew after the corniche road opened in 1960 and has hosted the La 7e Vague music festival since 2002. For non-surfers, La Sauzaie is a vantage point: sit on the dune and watch the sessions, especially in autumn and spring, when the swells are most consistent. Beginners will find surf schools on the neighbouring sandy beaches, which are better suited.
Écomusée du Daviaud
Le Daviaud, at La Barre-de-Monts, half an hour north of Saint-Gilles, is the eco-museum of the Marais Breton Vendéen, opened in 1982 and run by the Océan-Marais de Monts group of communes. It presents a landscape shaped by people since the Middle Ages: wet meadows criss-crossed by ditches and channels, salt pans, including the one at the site's salt barn, still worked, bourrines, the low cottages of earth and reeds, and the rearing of Maraîchine cattle. The visit combines exhibition rooms, a gallery and outdoor trails through the meadows, where you can watch birds and livestock. From April to September, activities, children's workshops and nature outings complete the visit. Full price is €10 in high season (€8 until 29 May), €5 in early spring and €7 in autumn; entry is free for under-6s and on the first Sunday of the month outside July and August. Combined with the Passage du Gois to Noirmoutier, or the beaches of Notre-Dame-de-Monts, the outing fills a day.
How many days, and which itinerary?
A long weekend is enough for the port, the corniche and the beaches. Allow a week to enjoy the beaches, cycle through the marshes, surf at Brétignolles and push on to the Île d'Yeu or Noirmoutier.
🗺️ Day-by-day itinerary · 📓 Free printable Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie guide (PDF) · 🌍 All of France
weekend (2 days)
Day 1: arrive by train, the boats returning to port in the late morning, a lunch of grilled sardines, the Maison du Pêcheur in the afternoon, sunset on the jetty. Day 2: the Corniche Vendéenne on foot in the morning, the Grande Plage in the afternoon, a tinned-fish shop before leaving.
4-5 days
Day 1: the port, fish auction and Maison du Pêcheur. Day 2: the Corniche Vendéenne and the beaches of Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez. Day 3: Brétignolles, La Sauzaie and La Parée, a tasting in the Brem vineyards. Day 4: Lac du Jaunay on foot or by canoe. Day 5: the Écomusée du Daviaud and the Marais Breton.
one week
Days 1 to 3: the port, the corniche, the Brétignolles beaches and the Brem vineyards. Day 4: a day on the Île d'Yeu by boat from Saint-Gilles or Fromentine. Day 5: Lac du Jaunay in the morning, the cycle path to Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez. Day 6: Le Daviaud, the Passage du Gois at low tide and Noirmoutier. Day 7: Les Sables-d'Olonne and its port, then home.
Getting there and getting around
Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie has its own station, at the end of the line from Nantes, opened in 1881; from Paris-Montparnasse, allow about 3h30 with a change in Nantes. By car, the town is about 1h15 from Nantes and 4h30 from Paris.
Once there, cycling is the best way to get around: cycle paths link Saint-Gilles to Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez, Brétignolles and the marshes, over almost flat terrain. Local buses serve the coastal towns in summer.
A car is still useful for Lac du Jaunay, Le Daviaud and Noirmoutier. In July and August, parking near the beaches and the port becomes difficult and paid: set off early or park on the outskirts.
Where to stay in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie?
Budget: the Vendée coast is one of France's great camping regions, and the Pays de Saint-Gilles has many sites, often near the beaches of Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez and Brétignolles. A few simple hotels in central Saint-Gilles stay under €100 out of season.
Comfort: hotels are limited, with a handful of two- and three-star places in Saint-Gilles, Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez and Brétignolles, at €100-150 in season. Holiday rentals and apartment residences are plentiful, but book early for July and August.
Our pick: a sea-view room on the Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez corniche, to watch the swell pound the rocks as you wake. For an upmarket hotel with a spa, look towards Les Sables-d'Olonne, half an hour south.
Our places to stay, stop by stop, at three budgets →
What to eat in Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie?
Sardines above all: barbecued on the port in summer, marinated, or tinned by the town's historic canneries, which sell vintage sardines to be aged like wine. Fish from the auction turns up in the port's restaurants, alongside mussels and oysters from the coast.
The Vendée has its land-based specialities too: Vendée ham, mogettes, white beans served with the ham, préfou, a garlic bread served with aperitifs, and Vendée brioche. The Saint-Gilles market and those in Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez bring the producers together.
Wines from the Fiefs Vendéens, from Brem and the other designations, go with the fish: fresh chenin whites and light rosés. Trouspinette, an aperitif made from blackthorn, can be tasted in bars and wine shops.
Entry requirements
Schengen area: an ID card or passport for EU citizens, 90 days visa-free for UK, US, Canadian and Australian passports.
Rules change: check your own government's travel advice before you go.
Frequently asked questions about Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie
When is the best time for Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie?
From May to September, with June and September to avoid the crowds while still enjoying a pleasant sea. July and August are the hottest and liveliest months, with markets and port festivals.
Can you get to Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie by train?
Yes, the station is in town, at the end of the line from Nantes. From Paris, allow about 3h30 with a change in Nantes. Once there, a bike is all you need for the port, the beaches and the corniche.
Where can you surf near Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie?
At Brétignolles-sur-Mer, at La Sauzaie for experienced surfers, and on the neighbouring sandy beaches for beginners, with several surf schools open in spring and summer.
What should you bring back from Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie?
Tinned sardines, vintage or prepared, bought in the shops of the town's canneries, Fiefs Vendéens wine from Brem, and salt from the Marais Breton.
How many days should you plan?
A weekend for the port, the corniche and the beach, a week to add Brétignolles, the Brem vineyards, the Marais Breton and a day on the Île d'Yeu.
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