District · Saint-Gilles
Saint-Gilles port and seafrontPort de Saint-Gilles
The marina, the promenade, dive and whale desks and the restaurant strip; lively in the evening, hot at midday.
Key facts
- Suits
- First stay, dinners on foot, boat trips
- Room prices
- $$$
- price band of 5
- Sights here
- 3
- Eats here
- 4
What it's like
- Feels:
- Busy and easygoing: boats, cafés, bars and a promenade full of walkers at dusk
- Suits:
- First stay, dinners on foot, boat trips
- Best time:
- Early morning or 17:00–20:00Early morning or 5:00 PM–8:00 PM
- Watch out for:
- Midday heat and Friday-night noise.
- In short:
- The marina, the promenade, dive and whale desks and the restaurant strip; lively in the evening, hot at midday.
About these names
Saint-Gilles is a coastal strip about 6 km long from north to south. The marina and the seafront promenade sit in the middle. North is Boucan Canot, a beach with restaurants under the cliffs. South is L'Hermitage-les-Bains, the long lagoon beach and quieter hotel zone. Inland, on the hills above, Saint-Gilles-les-Hauts is a separate village with the botanical garden. Saint-Paul, with the big market and the cemetery, is a 20-minute drive north-east.
Where exactly
This district is highlighted. Shapes follow this guide's walking areas and places, not official boundaries.
Saint-Gilles port and seafrontPort de Saint-Gilles
sleepeatseePrice $$$
The marina, the promenade, dive and whale desks and the restaurant strip; lively in the evening, hot at midday.
Suits: First stay, dinners on foot, boat trips
On the map: Saint-Gilles port and promenade, Roches Noires beach, Whale watching and boat trips from the port
District guideWalk: Saint-Gilles port and seafrontSleep: Saint-Gilles portIn the districts table
Off the map: Roland Garros Airport (RUN) (55–80 min by the usual route).
Where’s what, as a list:
- Saint-Gilles port and seafront (Port de Saint-Gilles): The marina, the promenade, dive and whale desks and the restaurant strip; lively in the evening, hot at midday. Suits: First stay, dinners on foot, boat trips. Price band $$$.
- L'Hermitage lagoon (L'Hermitage-les-Bains): A 3 km lagoon behind the reef, calm water, shaded beach road and hotels close to the sand; fewer restaurants late.A 1.9 mi lagoon behind the reef, calm water, shaded beach road and hotels close to the sand; fewer restaurants late. Suits: Swimming, snorkelling, families, quiet nights. Price band $$.
- Boucan Canot (Boucan Canot): A busy cliff-backed beach with a row of restaurants; the sea is rough and swimming is only allowed when the beach signs say so. Suits: Sunset drinks, watching the surf.
- Saint-Paul (Saint-Paul): The commune's seat: seafront market, marine cemetery, a grid of old streets; a car ride from the resort. Suits: The Friday market, old-town history.
- Sleep area L'Hermitage: suits Swimming, snorkelling, families, quiet nights, price band $$.
- Sleep area Saint-Gilles port: suits First stay, dinners on foot, boat trips, price band $$$.
- Roland Garros Airport (RUN), 55–80 min by the usual route.
Stay here?
How this district's sleep area scores for five kinds of traveler, ranked against the other Saint-Gilles districts that have scores. Scores are this guide's 1–5 judgements.
First visit
best of 2
Boat trips at the marina, the promenade and Roches Noires on foot; the lagoon and the market by car.
Families
2nd of 2
Pools and ground-floor rooms exist; evenings are noisy.
Better for this: L'Hermitage lagoon
Light sleepers
2nd of 2
The seafront road and the bars are loud until late; ask for a room away from the road.
Better for this: L'Hermitage lagoon
Night owls
best of 2
Bars and restaurants at the marina, 5 minutes on foot.
On a budget
best of 2
The widest spread of guesthouses and apartments; prices spike in July, August and December.
See
Opening hours and prices from each place page; (check) means typical hours, not yet verified.
- Whale watching and boat trips from the portBook a time
Book a morning boat from the marina: humpback whales from about July to October, coast and glass-bottom trips all year; choose an operator that follows the marine-reserve charter.
- Hours:
- Boat desks open about 08:00; most departures are in the morning and some in the afternoon in season (check).Boat desks open about 8:00 AM; most departures are in the morning and some in the afternoon in season (check).(check)
- Entry:
- about €45–70 (≈ US$55–85) (2026 estimate)
- Roches Noires beachBook a time
The town beach beside the marina: come early for a look and a walk, and swim only where the signs say it is allowed that day.
- Hours:
- Open at all hours; swim rules and lifeguard cover vary, so check the signs.(check)
- Entry:
- Free
- Saint-Gilles port and promenadeBook a time
Walk the marina and seafront at the start or end of the day: boats, cafés and the best sunset strip in town; it is shadeless and hot at midday.
- Hours:
- Open at all hours; boat desks open about 08:00–17:00 and bars and restaurants close between about 22:00 and 02:00 (check).Open at all hours; boat desks open about 8:00 AM–5:00 PM and bars and restaurants close between about 10:00 PM and 2:00 AM (check).(check)
- Entry:
- Free
Eat
What to order and what locals pay, from each eat page. Prices are estimates; check the menu.
- Creole snack: bol renversé and samoussas
The cheapest real lunch in Saint-Gilles: a bol renversé (rice, cari and a fried egg) or samoussas from a snack counter near the port; eat by 13:30.
Order: Bol renversé: Choose the cari; ask for the egg on top.
Price: A bol renversé is €8–10 (≈ US$10–12); samoussas are €1 (≈ US$2) each; a bouchon is about €1 (≈ US$2).
- Bakery breakfast and picnic stop
A French-style bakery for breakfast or a picnic: pastries, baguette and coffee before 09:00; many close by noon on Sunday.
Order: Pain au chocolat: Un pain au chocolat, s'il vous plaît.
Price: A croissant is about €1.20–1.50 (≈ US$2); a baguette about €1.10–1.30 (≈ US$2).
- Creole cari lunch near the port
A plate of cari (slow-cooked spiced stew) with rice and rougail at a small restaurant near the marina: lunch, not a late dinner.
Order: Cari (curry): Cari poulet, cari saucisse or cari zourit, with rice.
Price: The plat du jour is €10–16 (≈ US$12–19) at lunch; a set menu of a starter, main and dessert is €18–25 (≈ US$25–30).
- Marina fish restaurant
A fish dinner on a marina terrace at sunset: book ahead in July, August and December, order the catch of the day and ask for the price by weight.
Order: Poisson du jour: Ask what it is and the price; it may be by weight.
Price: A grilled fish plate is €20–30 (≈ US$25–35); a set menu is €25–40 (≈ US$30–50).
Sleep
Restaurants and the promenade on foot; a short car ride to the lagoon: pick a hotel with a 24-hour desk and parking for the hire car.
Rooms: Mid to high: about €100–220 (≈ US$120–300) a room in the dry season (2026 estimate); July, August and Dec–Jan add 25–60% (check)
Pick this if: First stay, dinners on foot, boat trips and short lagoon drives
Skip this if: You want a silent night or a swim from the hotel door
3–6 min walk to Saint-Gilles port and seafront · 25–35 min walk to L'Hermitage lagoon
Shopping
Markets and shopping streets from the Saint-Gilles buying guide that name this district.
- Craft and souvenir stalls on the seafront · Shell jewellery, textiles, small crafts, spices · Evenings in high season (check) · haggling: noneA handful of stalls along the promenade; prices are on the board or asked at the stall.
Getting there and around
Where to get off
- Marina car park or the seafront road · for Saint-Gilles port and promenade
- Seafront road north of the marina · for Roches Noires beach
- Saint-Gilles marina, boat desks and pontoons · for Whale watching and boat trips from the port
- Streets behind the marina or the roadside near Saint-Gilles centre · 6 min walk to Creole snack: bol renversé and samoussas
Walks inside the district
- Saint-Gilles port and promenade → Whale watching and boat trips: 3–5 min on foot (Walk along the quay to the boat desks)
- Roches Noires beach → Saint-Gilles port and promenade: 11–16 min on foot (Walk back along the seafront)
- Whale watching and boat trips → Marina fish restaurant: 3–5 min on foot (Walk to the marina terrace)
On to the next area
- Short car or long walk south: about 12 min to L'Hermitage lagoon
- Car north: about 10 min to Boucan Canot
From other sleep areas
- From L'Hermitage: 12–20 min walk to Saint-Gilles port and seafront
Minutes are this guide’s typical walking and ride times (p50–p90); traffic and heat stretch them.
Walking loop
A loop that starts and ends at the same place, through this district's sights and eats. Pick a length; download it for Organic Maps, OsmAnd or Google Earth.
About 88 min in all: 8 min on foot, the rest at the stops. 4 stops, back to where you started.
- Whale watching and boat trips from the portStart here · stop about 30 min
- Saint-Gilles port and promenade3 min walk · stop about 20 min
- Marina fish restaurant1 min walk (estimate) · stop about 15 min (snack, or note it for later)
- Bakery breakfast and picnic stop2 min walk (estimate) · stop about 15 min (snack, or note it for later)
- Back to Whale watching and boat trips from the port: 2 min walk (estimate)
Walking minutes come from this guide’s route graph where it has one; “estimate” means straight-line distance plus a quarter for street detours at an easy pace. Opening hours are not checked: look at “Open now” below before you set off.
Half-day walk
In the day plans: Day 3 — Port promenade, car to the airport at 12:00 (Saint-Gilles in 3 days)
Photo and sunset spots
Light: Just after sunset
Shoot from the quay looking at the boats and lights; do not block the walkway.
Safety at night and noise
Saint-Gilles port and seafrontday: oknight: ok
Pickpockets on busy evenings; bag snatches from café tables.
Quiet nights
The seafront road and the bars are loud until late; ask for a room away from the road.
Nightlife
Bars and restaurants at the marina, 5 minutes on foot.
Late arrival
24-hour desks at the larger hotels; late restaurants and taxis are nearby.
Nearby districts
Built from this guide’s Saint-Gilles districts table, place, eat and sleep pages, route graph and city notes. Hours, prices and rules change: anything marked (check) is typical, not verified. checked: 2026-09.