Saint-Gilles-Croix-De-Vie: Beaches, Harbour and Sardine Culture

Saint-Gilles-Croix-De-Vie combines a long coastline with water sports, fishing and cultural attractions. The area’s different highlights offer practical guidance when choosing a destination: you can consider both beaches and activities on the water, as well as harbour life and local history.

Beaches and water sports

The town has 3.5 kilometres of fine sandy beaches as well as a rocky coastline. Surfing is possible at Grande Plage, and Boisvinet beach has a water sports centre. These offer different ways to enjoy time by the water. Saint Gilles Croix de Vie Nautisme offers sailing, surfing, kitesurfing, canoeing, windsurfing, land sailing, stand-up paddleboarding and a wake park. Before booking, check which activities are available during your travel dates. Beach rules can also change.

Harbour, sardines and fishing

The guided tour “En direct de la Criée” takes visitors to the fishing harbour, where they can watch a real fish auction. Check before your trip whether the tour is available on your chosen date. Another option is “Les Coulisses de la Criée”: this seasonal tour ends with a tasting of grilled sardines and is offered from April to September.

Sardine fishing is also part of the harbour’s cultural heritage. In 1998, the harbour became the first in France to receive the “Site Remarquable du Goût” designation for it. The permanent exhibition “Le voyage du poisson de l’océan à l’assiette” at Escale Pêche explores the journey of fish from the sea to the plate. The Atelier de la Sardine is housed in an old farmhouse and includes a museum, an art gallery and a shop. You can encounter the subject of sardines in several places and in different formats.

Local history and culture

La Maison du Pêcheur is a typical 1920s house in the Maroc district. It is located at 22 rue du Maroc and can be visited on guided tours. The boat Le Hope also tells the story of local fishing: it is a former fish trap fishing boat built in Saint-Gilles-Croix-De-Vie. It has been classified as a Monument historique since 1998 and can be seen in the marina.

Architecture enthusiasts can visit Église Sainte-Croix, a Romanesque-Byzantine church built to the plans of Nantes architect M. Menard. Atelier Henry Simon – Les Rimajures is a tourist and cultural exhibition and memorial site honouring Henry Simon, a painter, ceramicist and decorator from the Vendée. The harbour, architecture and visual arts offer different highlights within the cultural programme.

Trails and boat trip

Several named trails explore the town’s history and heritage. “Gaspard et le voleur de sardines” passes through Vieux Saint-Gilles to Grande Plage. Along “Le Chemin de la Sardine,” blue fish painted on the ground guide visitors through the town’s sardine fishing history. “Au fil des pierres de lest” also passes through Vieux Saint-Gilles, highlighting local historical figures and heritage.

The guided boat trip “Au fil de la Vie” offers a different perspective. It departs from Saint-Gilles-Croix-De-Vie, at the foot of the Concorde Bridge, and shares insights into local wildlife and plant life, as well as the history of the harbour and fishing. Departure details may vary by season; check the date before your trip.

Port la Vie marina

Port la Vie is located in the centre of this maritime town. The marina has 1,000 pontoon berths and 160 spaces for short stays. These figures give a concrete sense of the harbour infrastructure, without saying anything about any individual hotel or its facilities.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Fulgent, Olonne-Sur-Mer, La Chaize-Giraud, Les Herbiers, Les Sables-D'olonne, Triaize, Le Givre, Saint-Martin-Lars-en-Sainte-Hermine.

For the broader travel guide: Vendée.