St-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie

St-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie is a seaside resort on the Vendée coast, formed by the merger of two former towns on either side of the Vie estuary. Its working harbour retains a fishing and seafood trading tradition, with a fish auction handling sardines and white fish, a legacy of the town's once-significant canning industry. The marina, one of the busiest along the Vendée coastline, runs alongside the town centre and its lively quaysides in season. Fine sandy beaches, including the Grande Plage and Boisvinet beach, draw families in summer, while the rocky coastal path known as the corniche vendéenne links the town to the hamlet of Sion-sur-l'Océan. A small tourist train runs through the pine forest to Saint-Jean-de-Monts, offering a car-free way to get around during the summer months. The town also has a casino and a busy covered market. With its temperate oceanic climate and proximity to the Marais breton-vendéen wetlands, it makes a convenient base for exploring the Vendée's Atlantic coastline.